Covid-19

[Techno]

Allegedly the masks work better for stopping the USER transmitting the virus than for preventing you catching it.

That's always been my own thought, Nathan......They protect folk from YOU, (if you're wearing one) better than you from other folk, if the roles are reversed.
I think they ARE better than bog all, but I did a bit of 'googling' when they first came to prominence....and my take on it was......The real Big Daddy of viruses is around the same size as the smallest smoke particle......And you'd hardly expect to go into a smoke filled room, with one of those on, and expect it to filter out all the smoke particles, so you could breath 'fresh air'

(Well, I certainly wouldn't ! I may be daft.....but not that daft.)

As to masks, I have some medical masks should they become necessary but am also awaiting the arrival of these .... I was thinking more biker but Mexican outlaw works too

I like your thinking, Mike ! ....Interesting you should say about waiting....I had a quick look on Amazon, this morning....Quite a few folk appear to have ordered some.....But are getting a wee bit tetchy about the delays......"Where are my masks !....etc"

Cheers - Phil

[Steve J]

They had a good report on the radio last night, where they confirmed the mask is to stop you transmitting the virus. Apparently when the droplets leave your mouth they almost instantaneously  'dry up' and then become too small for a mask to stop them. So even a simple cloth around the mouth will stop nearly all of the droplets escaping, so well worth doing.

[fred.]

one of the biggest problems with the use of PPE by the wider population, is that they have no idea how to use it, or what it is protecting them from.

A lot of the problems with general use of masks is that the wearer touches the mask, and their face a lot more with the mask on. Thereby increasing the chance of transfer. The mask can also remain damp (from moisture in the breath) which is a better environment for the virus to live on. Which is why masks are not recommended for the population in general. I saw a chap last week wearing a mask for a hospital visit, then get in his car, and pull the mask halfway down his face, so the top edge of the mask was now across his mouth and just below his nose - exposing the contaminated surface of the mask exactly where you don't want it to be.

Similarly with gloves - they can give a surface that the virus can live on better than skin. Protecting the skin of your hands isn't particularly useful - which is the most common reason people wear gloves. But then people forget that the outer surface of the gloves are contaminated so do things with their gloved hands. If you wear gloves, do stuff, then use your phone or touch your face, then you are wasting your time. You need to remove the gloves before you use the phone - but you need to remove the gloves without contaminating your hands. Then you need to put gloves back on (not really the same gloves). Hand gel is probably much more useful in this kind of scenario. But you still need to think about what you are doing, and gel your hands before using your phone. None of this is instinctive - and requires people to think and think about the contamination scenarios.

A friend in the military recounted when they conducted a multi-day NBC drill - using a UV visible contaminant to assess their clean protocols. He said that even through they had an 'air lock' and changing areas on entry to the clean zone, that after a day or so the whole clean zone was contaminated. And this was with people who had been trained on what to do.

This is why the advice is to wash your hands and not touch your face. It's simple so people can do it, and it is effective for the levels of exposure the general population is exposed to. Obviously if you are a medical professional or a carer then the exposure situation is very different and different levels of PPE are appropriate.

[Norm]

A mask worn in public may probably also become a visual reminder for people to be socially responsible once things relax a little. It sends out a message of 'respect my space'. The flip side is it may give a false sense of security.

[Ithoriel]

For me, wearing gloves is to remind me not to touch my face rather than as protection. Thin vinyl gloves underneath and fingerless leather ones on top. Enough to keep me  aware of my hands and where they shouldn't go

[FierceKitty]

A mask worn in public may probably also become a visual reminder for people to be socially responsible once things relax a little. It sends out a message of 'respect my space'. The flip side is it may give a false sense of security.

Here at least it's certainly been a distraction. In the pre-lockdown days I say great numbers of people wearing useless masks walking right past the spray sanitisers which were at the entrances to most places of assembly.

[Techno]

That's about the only thing at our local Tesco's that I think they've 'got slightly wrong'.....Maybe ?

You have to go and fetch a trolley...and then push it to where the sanitisers are.....Which somehow doesn't seem right. ....I would have thought it would be better to have the sanitisers bang next door to the trolleys, at the beginning.

Fair enough....I put on a pair of disposable gloves as soon as I get out of the car....so touching the handle of the trolley doesn't bother me.
Go to the spray sanitisers...spray the trolley's handle....wipe that, and the gloves, with the supplied paper towels..bin towel...join queue.

Go in, 'do' the shop... return to car..put bags in car....return trolley...Bin gloves....get in car....Use personal hand sanitiser, left in the car...wipe hands dry with fresh piece of tissue....Then and only then do I put another piece of gum in my mouth.

Have I missed anything ?

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

If gloves work as a reminder not to touch your face, then great. I've found the general paranoia about everything works quite well for me! Also found that putting my hands in my pockets worked quite well (this was back in the early days when we were still in work).

Sounds a sensible approach Phil. Other things to remember:

Once you have gloves on don't touch your face
Don't use your phone when you have gloves on
How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands

I tend to have a hand sanitiser in my pocket, so I can 'clean' my hands if I do need to use my phone etc

[Raider4]

After a quiet weekend, traffic seems to have picked up over the last couple of days. Lots of people driving around with their windows open.

I have a soft-top car, and this is the perfect weather for it, but when I have to go out it's roof up, windows closed.

You have to go and fetch a trolley...and then push it to where the sanitisers are.....Which somehow doesn't seem right. :-....I would have thought it would be better to have the sanitisers bang next door to the trolleys, at the beginning.

Because if you leave the stuff outside the store, people being people, it will all disappear in about 7 seconds flat

[Techno]

How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands

AHA !!  I think that's the only thing I'm missing, Forbes.....I touch the wallet/cards with a potentially dirty glove...Good thought !

After a quiet weekend, traffic seems to have picked up over the last couple of days. Lots of people driving around with their windows open.
because if you leave the stuff outside the store, people being people, it will all disappear in about 7 seconds flat

Odd you should say that, Martyn...Just been outside to check on the 'field' animals.....And I saw the first 'early morning' cars that I've seen for days and days. (Don't count tractors..they're allowed to be out and about.)

The trolleys ?.........No nothing in them.....I mean the empty ones, outside the store, before you go in......Then, having put 'the shop' in the car.....(and locked it  )....returning the empty trolley 'from whence it came'.

Cheers - Phil

[Raider4]

The trolleys ?.........No nothing in them.....I mean the empty ones, outside the store, before you go in......Then, having put 'the shop' in the car.....(and locked it  )....returning the empty trolley 'from whence it came'.

I meant the sanitising equipment. Leave it outside and POOF!, watch it disappear. No one will even have to say 'Abracadabra' . . .

[toxicpixie]

Alcohol hand gel you say? Well, I have been jonesing for a pint... tastes like stomach pump!

[Westmarcher]

Once you have gloves on don't touch your face
Don't use your phone when you have gloves on
How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands

I tend to have a hand sanitiser in my pocket, so I can 'clean' my hands if I do need to use my phone etc

And consider avoiding the self-service tills - I found that the touch screen wouldn't work with my gloves on so had to take one glove off. I then had to sterilise my hands, wallet and debit card.

[toxicpixie]

Yeah, I've ended up trying to enter stuff on similar using by wrist, a knuckle, and elbow - anything to try and break the chain of contact back to "whoops I scratched my face without thinking about it" before I can clean off!

On a similar note, NOT touching my face until home and cleaned up makes me realise just how often you do it without thinking, an by the time I'm back it's some kind of mental wrestling match to keep my hands down as my face seems drawn towards them

[Techno]

I meant the sanitising equipment. Leave it outside and POOF!, watch it disappear. No one will even have to say 'Abracadabra' . . .

I think they've got too many 'monitors' outside the store, Martyn..(Making sure we all behave, and queue properly)..I'm sure they're keeping their eyes on it.....But I take your point.

And consider avoiding the self-service tills - I found that the touch screen wouldn't work with my gloves on so had to take one glove off. I then had to sterilise my hands, wallet and debit card.

Another good point, Davy.....I VERY rarely use those, though.
There was one thing that I heard on the radio, a few weeks ago that made me go, "YEEEUGH !...You're kidding me !"
The touch screens in MacDonalds were tested for bacteria etc.(somewhere in the UK) and found to have traces of a revolting substance on them......If I say "That shows certain folk, don't wash their hands after being to the loo,"......I'm sure you can guess what it was.

Cheers - Phil 

[Techno]

As well as the team at Pendraken Towers doing such a brilliant job producing the face shields.....One other thing that has really lifted my spirits recently, has been the public's response to the 99 year old veteran, Capt Tom Moore....

(For those outside the UK)

Having started out to raise £1,000...by doing a hundred 'laps' of his garden......(raising funds for NHS Charities together).....I hear he's now raised something between eight and a half million and eleven million. (Depending on who you hear it from.).....His garden actually looks pretty long, and he's using wheeled walking frame to aid him in his efforts !

Absolutely astonishing !  :-bd

Hat's off to Captain Tom !

Cheers - Phil   

[Raider4]

On a similar note, NOT touching my face until home and cleaned up makes me realise just how often you do it without thinking, an by the time I'm back it's some kind of mental wrestling match to keep my hands down as my face seems drawn towards them

Yes (strokes beard), it's surprising (rub forehead) how often I (itches ear) touch my (strokes beard) face (scratches cheek) . . .

[paulr]

As well as the team at Pendraken Towers doing such a brilliant job producing the face shields.....One other thing that has really lifted my spirits recently, has been the public's response to the 99 year old veteran, Capt Tom Moore....

(For those outside the UK)

Having started out to raise £1,000...by doing a hundred 'laps' of his garden......(raising funds for NHS Charities together).....I hear he's now raised something between eight and a half million and eleven million. (Depending on who you hear it from.).....His garden actually looks pretty long, and he's using wheeled walking frame to aid him in his efforts !

Absolutely astonishing !  :-bd

Hat's off to Captain Tom !

Cheers - Phil   

Does that mean he's done over a million laps of his garden

But seriously, well done Captain Tom Moore

[Steve J]

Latest on the BBC news website is that he's finished his 100 laps and has raised £12m. IIRC he intends to carry on, again based upon the BBC.

[toxicpixie]

Yes (strokes beard), it's surprising (rub forehead) how often I (itches ear) touch my (strokes beard) face (scratches cheek) . . .

Bang on