Vegemite Kid wrote:

I have seen still people on their own in cars windows shut driving along wearing a mask.
It makes me smile but hey ho it is up to them if they want to.

Yes I've done that.
If I was going from one shop to the other or somewhere during work time - no point taking mask on and off over and over.
Especially if one wears glasses and finally has it adjusted to not fog up.

But on the M6 motorway at 8 at night travelling at 70mph?
It is nuts to me but it's up to them if they want to do it.
I never got that stopping the glasses steaming up right when wearing a mask, I just took the glasses or the mask off as I was useless with the two together steamed up in seconds.
Easy now as masks are not required well I don' think they are anywhere in the UK, well no where asks people to mask up anymore which I have to be honest I find a blessing. I hated masks as I only used proper N95 ones and my face used to get so hot I couldn't wait rip it off when I came out of the Docs or the Hospitals when we had to wear them.

Muffin wrote: Absolutely agree with all your comments...

However, interestingly a work colleague's husband is a top surgeon in London. He has said that those who wear fabric masks are at risk of inhaling small plastic fibres and that he fears in around 10 years time there will be a massive increase in those suffering from breathing issues and lung cancer as a result.

Hopefully, this does not also apply to the blue surgical masks - otherwise the medical professionals would not be wearing and promoting them!?

Whenever I wore a mask at the beginning of Covid within five minutes I felt as if bits of fiber were stuck in my throat and would start coughing,. so stopped wearing them at all except for hospital visits.
I still see the odd person masked up, that's on them, it's a free world, but I wouldn't wear them again.

Bruce wrote:

Vegemite Kid wrote:

I have seen still people on their own in cars windows shut driving along wearing a mask.
It makes me smile but hey ho it is up to them if they want to.

Yes I've done that.
If I was going from one shop to the other or somewhere during work time - no point taking mask on and off over and over.
Especially if one wears glasses and finally has it adjusted to not fog up.

But on the M6 motorway at 8 at night travelling at 70mph?
It is nuts to me but it's up to them if they want to do it.
I never got that stopping the glasses steaming up right when wearing a mask, I just took the glasses or the mask off as I was useless with the two together steamed up in seconds.
Easy now as masks are not required well I don' think they are anywhere in the UK, well no where asks people to mask up anymore which I have to be honest I find a blessing. I hated masks as I only used proper N95 ones and my face used to get so hot I couldn't wait rip it off when I came out of the Docs or the Hospitals when we had to wear them.

From Monday 20 March 2023, disposable face masks need to be worn by patients, visitors and staff in the following areas only, unless you are exempt or you wish to wear one in other areas of the hospital……All assessment units. Emergency Department.

It’s still a requirement in other clinical settings also, in our surgery when I saw my doctor yesterday.

Pats wrote:

Bruce wrote:

Vegemite Kid wrote:

I have seen still people on their own in cars windows shut driving along wearing a mask.
It makes me smile but hey ho it is up to them if they want to.

Yes I've done that.
If I was going from one shop to the other or somewhere during work time - no point taking mask on and off over and over.
Especially if one wears glasses and finally has it adjusted to not fog up.

But on the M6 motorway at 8 at night travelling at 70mph?
It is nuts to me but it's up to them if they want to do it.
I never got that stopping the glasses steaming up right when wearing a mask, I just took the glasses or the mask off as I was useless with the two together steamed up in seconds.
Easy now as masks are not required well I don' think they are anywhere in the UK, well no where asks people to mask up anymore which I have to be honest I find a blessing. I hated masks as I only used proper N95 ones and my face used to get so hot I couldn't wait rip it off when I came out of the Docs or the Hospitals when we had to wear them.

From Monday 20 March 2023, disposable face masks need to be worn by patients, visitors and staff in the following areas only, unless you are exempt or you wish to wear one in other areas of the hospital……All assessment units. Emergency Department.

It’s still a requirement in other clinical settings also, in our surgery when I saw my doctor yesterday.

Maybe after all the misinformation by supermarkets and police when the lockdown and mask rules were in the hospitals have just given up asking as it isn't worth it. If someone says I am exempt they have to take that as they are exempt and can do nothing to challenge that or enforce mask wearing so don't bother asking anymore.
I did ask a hospital worker a while ago about masks at the hospital and she said we don't bother we have found they don't do anything anyway as people wear them wrong or wear ones which are just so useless they might as well not wear one.
End of covid is far and few between at the hospital now so I think it is human nature to relax the mask thing.
I did ask how many in here have got covid and the nurse said None I think and hope, The hospital have changed the covid ward(s) back to osteo.................. something patients.

But on the M6 motorway at 8 at night travelling at 70mph?
It is nuts to me but it's up to them if they want to do it.
I never got that stopping the glasses steaming up right when wearing a mask, I just took the glasses or the mask off as I was useless with the two together steamed up in seconds.

Who knows?

perhaps they wore it all day at work and took it off when they got home, following instructions about how to take off and dispose off properly. (Ive done that too)
Perhaps they had got used to wearing them and forgot it was on (I've done that too)
Perhaps we don't know everyone's back story.

and of course some of us wore masks all day at work and didnt have option of taking off the glasses (I do need to see when I am working) or the mask, legal requirement.

Here in Australia the only place you have to wear them now is hospitals - but other medical services have legal right to enforce if they choose to.

Where I work we are not - some other places are.
and in my experience places that are, are doing so fully, unless one has a documented exemption

sciguy18 wrote: I still wear a mask whenever I’m around other people; especially if I don’t know their vaccination history.

"I still wear a mask whenever I’m around other people; " For your sake or theirs?

"especially if I don’t know their vaccination history" What difference do you perceive here?

Bruce wrote:

Vegemite Kid wrote:

I have seen still people on their own in cars windows shut driving along wearing a mask.
It makes me smile but hey ho it is up to them if they want to.

Yes I've done that.
If I was going from one shop to the other or somewhere during work time - no point taking mask on and off over and over.
Especially if one wears glasses and finally has it adjusted to not fog up.

But on the M6 motorway at 8 at night travelling at 70mph?
It is nuts to me but it's up to them if they want to do it.
I never got that stopping the glasses steaming up right when wearing a mask, I just took the glasses or the mask off as I was useless with the two together steamed up in seconds.
Easy now as masks are not required well I don' think they are anywhere in the UK, well no where asks people to mask up anymore which I have to be honest I find a blessing. I hated masks as I only used proper N95 ones and my face used to get so hot I couldn't wait rip it off when I came out of the Docs or the Hospitals when we had to wear them.

With respect it is not nuts at all and as Vegemite Kid points out taking the mask on & off is fraught with its own problems including contamination.

As for the glasses issue. I recall one day last year whilst flat on my back on a stretcher at an entrance to a hospital whilst being moved on a rather warm humid day.

One of my Ambo ( ambulance ) lasses remarked that she could barely see anything through her steamed up glasses. ( rather dangerous for us all )
I suggested a simple 'trick' that she could try -- involved a .very. light smear of soap between tips of her wetted fingers & applied to her glasses/spectacles lenses & then wiped dry.

She tried it right there & then as we had access AND suddenly we had one VERY HAPPY AMBULANCE OFFICER " I can SEE, I can SEE !!!! " I still recall her calling out.

Much better & safer than using Braille eh?

But seriously she was wrapped & I'm certain carried one of those tiny soaps with her from there on. It would need redoing later as I pointed out but - hey- a touch on that little bar of soap with wetted fingers and.... 'nuff said?


.

Pats wrote:

Muffin wrote: Absolutely agree with all your comments...

However, interestingly a work colleague's husband is a top surgeon in London. He has said that those who wear fabric masks are at risk of inhaling small plastic fibres and that he fears in around 10 years time there will be a massive increase in those suffering from breathing issues and lung cancer as a result.

Although this expressed concern is valid, we do need to keep it in perspective.
e.g. At this moment consideration is underway to TOTALLY BAN WOOD BURNING HEATERS - something that I fully support as my house only yesterday was full of smoke stench from a nearby house & if I go downstairs it can be almost impossible to breathe properly.
What the average person inhales when out & about would stun most folk if they were actually aware of it ( covid aside ) but most don't even give it a moment's thought.
Wearing a mask ( irrespective of any covid ) actually filter much that we don't even think about.
In balance then? Yes - the plastic at any level is not good but is very minute in the overall picture & the other protections and reductions in pollutants can? should? far outweigh any plastic issues.

Hopefully, this does not also apply to the blue surgical masks - otherwise the medical professionals would not be wearing and promoting them!?

Oh Muffin, I would love to have your innocence. Sadly the medical scenarios are fraught with endless contradictions and they cannot all be correct.
It's often a matter of "horses for courses" ie what is appropriate or suitable in one situation is quite unsuitable in another.
The so called "surgical" masks were never designed with covid in mind, rather they ( under any of around 6-8 names ) were intended for use in strangely enough .... surgery.
They do NOT filter well against virii and tend to protect others in this usage rather moreso than the wearer. Neither of which they do well & that aside from the ignorance & often laziness of users. The term "Dick nose" & the cartoons that have done the rounds clearly indicate this & I have been appalled by how many examples of this contempt that I've encountered in real life.

Surgical masks are for single use only and should be regularly replaced……whereas fabric masks are reused over and over.

In an ideal world YES but in reality it is not always viable.
Both surgical masks ( in non surgical use ) and respirators CAN and ARE able to be reused BUT
only if handled properly.
NOTE: I am neither recommending nor advocating such use but it can easily be researched
being careful to use non backyard sources. ( hint: 3 day cycling , bags etc )

UVC Ultraviolet-C can also be another option if reuse is necessary.
( it MUST be done at appropriate dosage levels but UVC is now gaining a considerable uptake in other areas too )

Meanwhile in our currently stressed & very aggressive world perhaps we need remind ourselves to be just a wee bit more considerate of others - it won't cost anything and just might make our day a little more pleasant / enjoyable

I tried umpteen tricks and solutions, including a commercial one, for un fogging glasses.

I didnt find any of them worked very well.

The best thing i found was fitting the surgical quality mask firmly - and then I would leave it on all day. only taking off in my lunch break

I used to drink water during the day via a straw poked under bottom of mask. But I wouldn't move the top part once it was fitted firmly.

Vegemite Kid wrote: I tried umpteen tricks and solutions, including a commercial one, for un fogging glasses.

I didnt find any of them worked very well.

The best thing i found was fitting the surgical quality mask firmly - and then I would leave it on all day. only taking off in my lunch break

I used to drink water during the day via a straw poked under bottom of mask. But I wouldn't move the top part once it was fitted firmly.

Yes Vegemite Kid there is NO perfect solution & often we have to work with what is available as a compromise.
I had to chuckle at your straw ... was that "the last straw" for you ?

I obtained some special medical adhesive 'foam' for some medical folk & that helped significantly they reported. Some of the photos of long suffering medical staff ( nurses ) I've seen have been nigh on horrifying - so much suffering by those poor girls/women.


One device ( again with up & down sides ) that I have here is a PAPR of my own design which numerous medical folk I know have seen & then wanted - it solves most of the issues mentioned earlier by some.

Positive air pressure is fed to the inside of the masks including N95 & related, Looped, tied, duckbills etc etc it matters not as it is adaptable.


But to the point - because of the positive air pressure inside the wearer's mask ( provided by the belt or shoulder mounted unit ) the wearer is fed filtered COOL fresh air so no sweaty face.
And the inside mask pressure also means not having to 'suck' air in via the filtration layers of the mask which is where normal viral impact load occurs.

It means a more comfortable & less tightly fitting headgear is required. Varied face shapes & mask shapes are also more readily accommodated whilst retaining a proper seal.

Air flow velocity, is easily adjustable by the wearer/user.
If resting it can be throttled right back and then if wearer is actively exerting simply adjusted up to provide a higher throughput volume and again COOL FRESH filtered air.

The downsides? COST has precluded PAPR use in many/most situations.
And of course it is one more THING to have to be bothered with in a busy world.

Having worn it out in the real world I've had nothing but positive remarks & in this world of freaky fashion most people don't even look twice.
Mind you someone coming towards me sees ( if they even notice ) what appears to be pretty much someone wearing a mask - end of story. The small pressure/filtration unit is at waist level just out of sight behind my left arm but allows me to reach and adjust if required.
And it is virtually silent.

The cost of commercial units sadly has been prohibitive & in fact the last PAPR I recall seeing was worn by an anaesthetist which gave me an opportunity to look closely at that design.

Meanwhile locally covid is reportedly on the climb again and the death rates have jumped significantly.
Apathy will help the rise as many folk I see prefer to ignore the reality & just want to forget it exists ( understandable.. but...... )

And what will follow Covid?.... I saw an article about a fungus that is causing serious problems and dealing with that might prove even more difficult.

As I glance up from the keyboard I notice the sun is still shining so guess it's time to go check out my LiPo modules that are presently sucking up any 'goodness' they can manage.
They'll provide a feed for all the lighting I need in this room in hours of darkness.

Hmmm wonder what tomorrow will bring .....




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