Experts say face masks can help slow COVID-19, despite previous claims

[Searc]

I'll wear a mask in public when healthcare workers have all THEY need.

Stay home, wash your hands and stay away from people is still the best protection.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I didn't get a chance to read all the replies. But wearing a mask or face covering is more likely to help curb the spread a) not because you won't contract the virus by wearing a mask but b) those who are ill and not symptomatic yet won't be likely to SPREAD Covid.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I saw a kid in the supermarket parking lot gathering carts. He was wearing a mask. It's hot outside so he was fiddling with the elastic, adjusting the mask and pulled it down a little bit to scratch. He proceeded to collect baskets.

 

[1lilspark]

IF I had to leave home outside of work or going for a jog/commuting by foot I’ll be honest I’d probably use a bandana or scarf

 

[Toolulu22]

We have face masks- my husband uses them for his work. Today was the first time I actually wore one in public. It was very weird.

Firstly, I've been home most of the past three weeks and I'm in a phase of depression from the isolation. We go out for short walks on most days, but the weather here is not yet nice enough to be outside all day long. Temps are in the 40's to low 50's, and we've had more cloudy and rainy days than sunny ones.

Once a week we've been ordering take out and today was the day. We stopped at Petco and Whole Foods first, which are next to one another, to grab a few items (still no sanitizer, I just had to check). Whole Foods had a line outside as they were only letting people enter as other people left, one for one, to control the number of people in the store. So, I felt silly standing there with my mask on and my husband says "look behind us". Every single person had a mask on. Ugh.. I feel like we're living in some bizarro universe.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Toolulu22, hang in there .. many people are having issues with isolation. But this Will pass. Hugs ur way!
You wear that mask and do what works for you and your family as you see fit.

I myself had to go out to a store today and I was, for the first time feeling Xtra anxious about it. There have been no masks here ( nor sanitizer, or gloves or toilet paper for weeks).
I sewed masks for my family ( using a hospital site suggested pattern) and it made me feel better wearing it. I’d say half the people I saw had on masks ( looked store bought) though I saw no one else wearing gloves, (I also wore)
I truly do believe that those in charge are providing us with what they know, As they are learning more about the spread of Covid
. I m not so fast to judge them. There’s plenty of time to play 20/20 hindsight after this is controlled. My family is following what we ve been asked to do. We’re taking extra precautions for our family as we see fit.

I’m Thankful for All those on the front line trying to battle this Covid War, and doing the best they can.
Stay well!

 

[JimMIA]

We wear masks and gloves any time we go out, and also while driving. We do not wear them for walks around the block, but for all trips away from the house.

Yes, it feels a bit weird at first but I see more and more people joining in every time I go out. The other thing I've noticed about wearing a mask is that people give you extra room...which is a good thing.

We have also limited ourselves to one trip out per week. If we don't get it then, we didn't really need it and it can wait a week.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

President Trump just said in his daily presser that it’s likely that we’ll all have to wear masks for a period of time after stay at home order lapses.

But you cannot trust what he has to say.
He said in February that Coronavirus was a hoax.
I will rely on medical experts/scientists etc.

 

[bcla]

Wondering what the scuttle is in Canada about 3M possibly discontinuing exports of US made equipment, including respirator masks. While it would probably affect other countries, Canada probably buys more of these than any other country.

 

[mom2rtk]

I was going to make some face masks for my family and some friends. But Wal-mart is out of elastic and the fabric stores that would carry more are all closed. So glad they were classified as "non-essential".

 

[Imzadi]

I will rely on medical experts/scientists etc.

Dr Anthony Fauci, immunologist who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 under 6 U.S. presidents said, verbatim: "If you pull back and think about it, we're starting to reexamine the possibility that if there ARE enough masks," [coincidentally at the same time that China & South Korea no longer need as many and can start producing them again for the rest of the world, ] "should everyone be wearing masks? Those who try to protect themselves and those who are trying to protect others as they might be infected. There was always this feeling that there's not enough masks so we had to prioritize them for healthcare workers and to the infected. But given the situation that we might have enough masks for everyone, I think there's some rationale that we should try to utilize them more than we do at the present time."

Dr Fauci is interviewed by George S., which is cued up to start at the 3:03 min mark:

And if you scroll back to the actual beginning of the video, experts at the Chinese CDC advise to wear face masks. Since China & South Korea have actually controlled the Coronavirus in their countries, maybe they actually know a thing or two about this.


Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences and former dean of the Harvard School of Public Health on CNN:

"While the current [coronavirus] specific research is limited, the results of available studies are consistent with aerosolization of virus from normal breathing,” Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences and former dean of the Harvard School of Public Health, wrote in a letter to the White House. Dr. Fineberg also told CNN that because of this, he plans to start wearing a mask when he goes out on errands, like to the grocery store, to help protect himself and others from coronavirus spread.​

​

“I’m not going to wear a surgical mask, because clinicians need those,” Feinberg said. “But I have a nice western-style bandana I might wear. Or I have a balaclava. I have some pretty nice options.”​

​

“This letter responds to your question concerning the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread by conversation, in addition to sneeze/cough-induced droplets,” the letter reads. “Currently available research supports the possibility that [coronavirus] could be spread via bioaerosols generated directly by patients’ exhalation.”​

​

LINK: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/experts-coronavirus-may-spread-talking-152957504.html​

U.S. Surgeon General, Jerome Adams had initially advised against the general public wearing face masks.
However, Adams told NBC’s “TODAY” show [& GMA on ABC,] on Wednesday that he has now asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate whether this recommendation should change.

LINK: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/02/cor...s-cdc-to-see-if-face-masks-are-effective.html

 

[NYCgrrl]

I was going to make some face masks for my family and some friends. But Wal-mart is out of elastic and the fabric stores that would carry more are all closed. So glad they were classified as "non-essential".

A good way to re-purpose clothing you might be throwing away from closet clean ups. Remove elastic and go fashion forward using textiles you've already loved.

 

[mom2rtk]

A good way to re-purpose clothing you might be throwing away from closet clean ups. Remove elastic and go fashion forward using textiles you've already loved.

I'm not sure I'm ready to start cutting up clothes to make my masks.

 

[EveDallas]

I looked on Amazon last night and even masks that were available were expensive and wouldn't arrive until late May or June.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

I was going to make some face masks for my family and some friends. But Wal-mart is out of elastic and the fabric stores that would carry more are all closed. So glad they were classified as "non-essential".

I couldn't find elastic either, but my Wal-mart had tons of 0.8mm elastic beading cord in the craft section. I'm going to make some skinny sleeves out of the t-shirt material I'm using for lining and run that through them to use for the ear straps. It should work fine as long as the masks are air dried after washing, it won't stand up to drier heat.

 

[JimMIA]

A good way to re-purpose clothing you might be throwing away from closet clean ups. Remove elastic and go fashion forward using textiles you've already loved.

I like it -- a Calvin Klein mask!

 

[JimMIA]

I looked on Amazon last night and even masks that were available were expensive and wouldn't arrive until late May or June.

Right. You had to be ahead of the curve, or be very lucky.

All N95's and a lot of other PPE are now exclusively sold to healthcare organizations -- not to individuals.

 

[Imzadi]

Right. You had to be ahead of the curve, or be very lucky.

All N95's and a lot of other PPE are now exclusively sold to healthcare organizations -- not to individuals.

Wow! I just looked on eBay and ALL the N95 masks are completely gone. 2 weeks ago there was still a lot.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have a bit on hand and will use some of that for now. I just don't like depleting my stock. I just ordered some online.

 

[BrianL]

I am so confused about this. Do we need masks? If so, how would I get them when they are sold out everywhere? Don't healthcare workers need them more? If I go to the store without one will that be a problem. I do need to go to the store and I'm not sure if I should now. I am not really "stocked up" and have been figuring it was okay to go out once a week, but now I'm not so sure. I don't really know what to do.