Should we all wear masks outside home?

[AlexSFCA]

We should all assume we are potential carriers of coronavirus. In many asian countries, it’s nearly mandatory for everyone and they’ve been very successful. Should we have nationwide mandate to wear facial masks the moment we step outside house? We all are carriers and exhale coronavirus (must presume that way).

[BamaRefugee]

1. Where are these mythical masks available? Been wearing my last one for a week

[marble falls]

6. They're easy enough to make, there's insructions all over the internet.

[Marrah_Goodman]

82. you can make them or buy the handmade ones online

[greenjar_01]

2. Yes

Wear a mask if you have one.

[AlexSFCA]

3. it only works if everyone wears it

mask may not protect you from infection but it will protect from spreading it to others. National mandate could ease lockdown quite a bit. Lack of masks is purely political right now. We have trillions dollars capacity to manufacture masks for the entire world x 3.

[greenjar_01]

4. Whatever

Wear a mask if you have one.

[PoliticAverse]

5. Yes. n/t

[AlexSFCA]

7. should all essential businesses that remain open provide masks

to employees and REQUIRE to wear them?

[LisaL]

47. Yes.

[Marrah_Goodman]

84. yes

[Meowmee]

8. Yes, a mask will protect you

Even if it is not an n95 s mask, it will offer some protection. If it protects others if you sneeze etc it protects you as well, pretty obvious. You can buy cloth masks which can be cleaned with throw away filters on amazon or make your own from vacuum bags etc. Better not to go out at all.

[Captain Zero]

39. Would a tshirt strip and coffee filters work to some degree?

[Meowmee]

41. Yes

If you can’t get surgical masks or n95 s etc. anything is better than nothing. Cover your eyes too with something. I wear wrap around glasses over my glasses. I am going to make something with a veil like plastic over a hat I saw here as well.

[thesquanderer]

80. re: "If it protects others if you sneeze etc it protects you as well"

Not so much. Unlike N95, surgical masks don't seal around the perimeter. When you strongly expel from your nose/mouth, it mostly heads directly forward, through the filtering mask. But in normal breathing, as you breathe in, you are creating a small vacuum with air that will largely be pulled from the open areas where the mask is not sealed to the outside air. At least this is my understanding.

[Meowmee]

85. Not true

Any mask is better than none, but of course you are free to do as you wish. I will be protecting myself because I know no one else will do it for me. For examples look up studies on surgical masks vs n95 masks for influenza worn by parents and family members of sick children etc for protection, they both had the same effect and both were effective vs no mask at all which was not.

No protection is perfect, even healthcare workers, who are usually exposed to much higher levesl, with the best ppe can and do become infected. Something is always better than nothing.

[AlexSFCA]

86. it will restrict the travel distance of the virus

and it should certainly be effective when someone is talking and breathing.

[thesquanderer]

94. Yes. In those respects, both kinds of masks significantly help prevent transmission.

But the N95 is supposed to be far superior when it comes to preventing yourself from getting it.

[Raine]

9. Wearing one I would find easy getting one

is what's difficult.

[BigmanPigman]

16. Make one...

Google it. There are "how to" and videos. Kids can even make them.

[Raine]

17. I'm going to give it a try

it'll probably look like crap but something is better then nothing!

[BigmanPigman]

19. Get creative or just have fun with it.

I have a round mask from 1999 and drew a red circle and a red slash on it. In the center I wrote tRump with a Big Fat Black Sharpie!. I wore it to an anti-tRump rally in protest of killing the ACA. I am proud to wear it even more now!

[MerryBlooms]

10. I started sewing masks by hand today.

it sure as heck can't hurt. I don't trust a word from this administration or it's faux agencies.

[BusyBeingBest]

13. I don't have a sewing machine, and don't really know how to sew besides

just basic stitching, but I'm doing the same thing--going to make three in case my husband and son want to wear one, although currently they feel it looks chickenshit and unmanly to for healthy guys to wear masks in public.

[Raine]

18. Me too that's the kind of sewing I do, basic by hand

I don't know how to sew on a machine but I'm going to give it a try doing it by hand.

[Mossfern]

24. My son

cut the sleeve off a t-shirt put it over his head, then raised it over his mouth and nose. You can probably double it, and slip in a piece of pillowcase between If you have an anti-microbal pillow protector that's even better.

No sewing.

[BusyBeingBest]

26. That's a pretty good idea.

The stretchiness of the t-shirt fabric would hold it in place.

[Leghorn21]

29. Hey Moss, yer son's a dadgum genius!!!

I’m not kiddin, either!!!

Please tell him I said so, too!!

[Mossfern]

30. Thanks

I know he is ....well, I'm his mom.

[2naSalit]

32. Aaaaahhhhhh!

I love it!

[appalachiablue]

72. That is clever & easy. Appreciate your smart son! TY

[csziggy]

58. All you need to use is a running stitch

Or an overcast stitch:

There are instructions on YouTube for no-sew face masks but they would be hard to wash.

[EllieBC]

21. Do you have a pattern?

I don’t have a sewing machine.

[BusyBeingBest]

23. I've been looking at youtube how-to's for about a week now.

There's a lot of them out there now, and some no-sew versions too.

[MerryBlooms]

65. My sister said she found one that was made from paper towel, staples, rubberbands.

[BusyBeingBest]

66. I saw one like that too--wonder if it would be better

to have an inner paper towel disposable liner (stapled on? safety pinned?) with an outer multi-layer cloth cover that's rewashable--will have to think about it.

[MerryBlooms]

71. The tighter the weave the better...

and layers is better. I'm thinking for the inner disposable filter on ours, using a folded coffee filter? I'm thinking on it with you.

[BusyBeingBest]

73. Yeah at the very least, gives us something to do sitting at home..

[MerryBlooms]

64. Here are two I bookmarked, there are lots on Youtube-

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=no+sew+face+mask&docid=608050094628536643&mid=D10961264BE931D97F2DD10961264BE931D97F2D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

&feature=emb_rel_pause

[mwooldri]

11. WHO says yes if you're sick or taking care of someone who is sick.

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks

Otherwise the choice is yours. If you want to assume you're sick with Sars-CoV-2 then go ahead and wear that mask. Bandana will work (better than nothing).

[AlexSFCA]

31. everyone must assume they are carriers

with 14 days incubation period, you are carrying and spreading the virus unless you test negative. I wish we could get home tests like pregnancy tests so we could test ourself weekly at home.

[LisaL]

48. Exactly.

And some people remain asymptomatic even if they do carry the virus.
So if you think about it this way, you have to wear a mask.

[Greybnk48]

12. We are.

We're not going anywhere without one. And if you don't wear glasses, get some--lighter lensed sunglasses or one's you can keep on in a store. All mucus membranes covered.

[BigmanPigman]

14. YES...here's why...

Sort of like saying to others, "Where is YOUR mask and aren't YOU ashamed of threatening my life and others with your selfishness and irresponsible behavior while living within our society".

Think of the people who are out there risking their lives for us. Be a responsible member of society or go live on a deserted island someplace!!! STAY the fuck HOME! If you HAVE to go out wear a mask, make one if you can't get one. A 4th grader can make one in 30 min.!

[Hoyt]

15. I haven't, but they have to help, even if only marginally effective.

Can’t wait for designer and Vote Blue masks.

[Ms. Toad]

37. The ones I'm making are designer . . .

with leftover fabric from ~1990-1995 when I was sewing hospital scrubs and baby carriers.

I think a lot of us are cleaning out our boxes of old fabric.

[Hoyt]

50. Cool. How long will it be before America's wealthy will appear with Louis Vuitton surgical masks?

[marlakay]

20. I was looking for something in garage today

And found a bag with 15 masks in it! OMG the way I whooped you would think I struck gold!

[Steelrolled]

56. I found a few also

A little used but serviceable - industrial N95. Sometimes not throwing stuff away has its benefits.

I'll be using them if and when I have to go into stores.

[JCMach1]

22. Safety Glasses are also good if you have them. Normal glasses can also offer a bit of protection

[2naSalit]

33. I saw someone with swimming goggles on today!

[LisaL]

46. Those would be good.

[BusyBeingBest]

70. We have some safety glasses, I'm planning to use them

to anchor the top of the mask to my face a little better. A little tiny bit of soap residue smeared around the inside lenses will keep them from fogging up.

[JCMach1]

77. I have my mowing glasses which form a shield on all sides

Blocks things, but maybe more importantly keeps me from touching my eyes

[musette_sf]

87. Thanks for the suggestion!

It occurred to me that I could use my night vision fitover glasses in the daytime as safety glasses. I'm not anywhere near leaving the house yet, but in the new world, when I finally get sprung, I suspect we still might need to wear some kind of protective gear. Also, one of my favorite cosmetic lines has just started shipping their slip-over bandanas that can be pulled over the nose and mouth, so I ordered a few of those. I'll be a sight to see come Q3...

[budkin]

25. Yes

If you can find them.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

27. I wore mine to the Post Office today...

Out of fabric I bought in Australia I made a dress out of. The clerk asked what was I shipping. I pointed to my mask and said...."120 of these in different prints thst I made."

[bamagal62]

28. Yes.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

34. I am not convinced that's necessary.

I also see things about disinfecting your shoes after you've been somewhere. Really?

Also, I don't sew. I don't have random fabric at home.

And I'm the healthiest person I know, plus I'm constantly amazed at all the health problems my age mates have. What the fuck is wrong with them?

I'm 71 years old, and a lot of 40 year olds aren't as healthy as I am.

[hangaleft]

38. Better to wear it and not need it than to need it and not wear it

I’m gonna wear a surgical mask on those rare occasions I leave the house. I don’t know how much, if at all, it protects me and others, but I’ll wear one anyway. Better to be safe than sorry. Hopefully, in the not too distant future we’ll be able to obtain sure fire protective masks easily and inexpensively online.

[uponit7771]

74. +1, I've been saying for years my parents generation had a gift of toughness. Every generation has .

... something to give

[Captain Zero]

40. did you grow up on a farm far from mcdonald's

I think people growing up on a farm until age 20 or so aare generally a lot healthier than their age group, but only assuming the well water is good. My grandfather lived to 93. In the summer he stood in his garden and ate lunch there.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

42. Well, I did spend part of my childhood, from age 7 to 14 out in the country.

It was dairy country in upstate New York.

I am also one of 6 kids, and came of age when we didn't yet have vaccines for measles, mumps, chicken pox, or rubella (known back then as German Measles). I was born in 1948.

For what it's worth, I was only a few months old when my older sister got chicken pox. My mom brought me to a doctor who gave me a shot of gamma globulin, something relatively common back then. According to my mom, while my older sister got a very bad case of chicken pox (and had scars on her forehead the rest of her life) I had other symptoms, but never got the actual poxes. However, being exposed to it over the years makes it clear that I am immune.

Some years later, before the vaccine was available, I was anxious that my sons get chicken pox. My older son had already been through three rounds of it in elementary schools in two different states. I was planning a spring break trip to my sister in another state, who called me up and said, "You may want to postpone this trip because one, there's a winter storm between us you'll have to drive through, and two, my oldest has just broken out in chicken pox."

I said, "I'm on my way." The winter storm was a mild hitch in the travel. Two weeks after we got home both of my sons broke out in chicken pox. Yes!

Please do not interpret that as anti-vaxx. This was before the chicken pox vaccine.

But back to your basic question. What a lot of people don't understand is how the human immune system works. We are designed to be confronted with lots of diseases in our early years. If we survive to age ten or so, we are highly likely to live through the next forty or fifty years (barring tragic accident), reproduce, perhaps become an elder of our tribe, and then die.

I do know that research has been done that indicates kids who grow up with dogs, and secondarily cats, have more robust immune systems than those who don't have those animals in their childhoods.

Polio was essentially a disease of affluence. Kids who were sheltered from disease were more likely to get certain diseases, such as polio.

One of the problems with this whole Corona Virus thing is that there are a fuck of a lot of people around who would not have been around 50 or 70 years ago. They are highly susceptible to this. A number of them will get this virus, and some of them will die. That is genuinely sad, but not really unexpected. I recall reading decades ago concerns about the fact that even then (and this is probably at least 50 years ago) that people were living and reproducing who would not have lived, let alone reproduced in earlier eras.

Another thought. I think almost all of us would agree that the planet is already overpopulated. Okay, so how do you propose the excess population be culled?

On the up side, there are soon going to be lots of jobs for grave diggers.

[rzemanfl]

55. When I posted a thread here about parents deliberately exposing their

kids to common childhood illnesses before there were vaccines, I got some interesting responses. I will post the link when I find it.

On edit-link: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213037109

[HockeyMom]

57. I'm 71 and grew up in Manhattan

McDonald's first opened in the MidWest in the 50's. There weren't any in NYC when I was young.

I had all those diseases before the age of 2. Scarlet Fever at 6. Not a disease of the 1800's! It comes from strep. I had strep a lot as a young child. Yes, we had antibiotics then, but as we now know if given too much they become ineffective. Both the other poster and I lived through the 1957 and 1968 Flu Pandemics.

Maybe living on a rural farm made one healthier but NYC certainly wasn't very healthy back then. We played on sidewalks. Turned on fire hydrants and went barefoot in the streets along with dogs, and police horses, doing their business. Many apartments did not have toilets in their units. Community toilets in the hallways. Exposed to a LOT of germs all around. Much worse in those days than today.

I think the point the other poster was trying to make was that we survived all that and have lived into our old age. As the saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Our immune systems were working on overload.

[Totally Tunsie]

35. Everyone needs to be responsible for their own safety.

I've said this from the beginning, and I'm pleased to see that some of the experts are beginning to broadcast their agreement.

Originally, the idea of wearing one only if you were ill was the viewpoint. I heartily disagree. No one can put your health as their responsibility. Tell me that the guy who just lost his job, with a stay-at-home wife and an infant and a toddler is saying to himself "Screw food for the family. I need to buy masks to protect my fellow man." Mmmmmm - no. Protect thyself, especially if the other guy isn't.

[AlexSFCA]

36. welcome to pandemic 101

can’t protect yourself without protecting others.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

43. So as someone with zero underlying conditions, who is easily

as healthy as those twenty years or more younger than me, what should I do?

[BusyBeingBest]

69. For me, as a healthy (so far as I know, don't go to doctor very often) 50 year old

I know I'll be looking like I'm overreacting compared to the rest of the crowd at my local Walmart/Safeway, where most people aren't even wearing gloves let alone masks, but I'm going to force myself to wear them because I'd rather look silly than drown in my own lung fluids. I'm trying to convince my husband and my adult sons to see it the same way--finally persuaded my husband to wear gloves at the store and gas pumps, so that's some progress I guess.

[Cicada]

44. Yes, it's a no brainer

[LisaL]

45. Yes.

If everybody wore masks, it would reduce the spread.

[kentuck]

49. We should wear masks to protect others, not necessarily ourselves.

My wife had a few leftover masks from the hardware store, when she bought some paint.

I have heard that a coffee filter, inside a handkerchief, could make a fair mask.

[mitch96]

60. I see it the other way. If you protect your self you are protecting others

Covid gets into our system via the NOSE MOUTH AND EYES. I wear a mask and glasses to stop
ME from touching my MOUTH NOSE AND EYES and contracting the virus , if I have inadvertently touched something. Wash, wash wash your hands. When out and about sanitize. If I don't get it I don't pass it on. Yes the glasses and mask stop airborne transmission and for me it also prevents me from touching my MOUTH NOSE AND EYES... YMMV...
m

[LisaL]

68. Or cut up a HEPA vacuum bag into filters. Clean bag, obviously.

[Generic Other]

51. I think so

Have been saying so all along.

[Freddie]

52. I found a box of painter's masks

Would that work if i augmented it with some kind of cloth or bandage gauze?

[PunkinPi]

53. 'Mask countries' vs the 'no mask' countries - graph

Link to tweet

OK, so we've just listed some recent studies. But what might have caught your attention is this intriguing graph markup by @jperla. Look at the 'mask countries' vs the 'no mask' countries. 10/15:

[CottonBear]

54. The mask countries also do massive testing & track you w/ cell phone apps.

South Korea does mobile testing. You must download an app and a message is sent to app with result. They know where you are and you are also alerted as to where others who have tested positive are. They (public health officials) know where all tested (negative) and tested (infected) persons are and can remind/require them to self-isolate.

This public health strategy is part of South Korean law.
I doubt Americans would go this route, even though it is highly effective.

As far as masks are concerned, a scarf or bandana will suffice for the average person, because the main thing is that it keeps you from touching your face. Wash and sterilize your hands frequently and after touching anything in public that could be contaminated.

Only medical professionals need medical grade PPE.

[PunkinPi]

59. Agree...just found the graphic interesting in light of the OP's question. nt

[uponit7771]

76. +1

[JCMach1]

78. I went absolutist on masks after reading accounts and data

From 1918

[MissMillie]

61. It's probably ideal

But I think given the lack of availability, it would be wiser to save the masks for those who are on the front-lines of this (doctors, nurses, other hospital workers, police and other first-responders, etc.).


Stepping outside the house isn't all that risky. Being in contact with other people is. Avoiding others is the key.

At this point I think having a mask to go to the grocery is a good idea.

[LisaL]

67. You can make a cotton mask or you can purchase on-line.

In fact the more we as a population stop the spread, the more help to medical professionals we are going to be.

[duforsure]

62. Yes we all should

But the shxt for brains fake president will never promote that. He already has undermined mass production of masks , ppe's , ventilators, testing kits, you name it and trump has undermined the response to this virus. Was he doing this for Putin? If he tries to get oil sanctions lifted now you can bet Putin is behind trumps actions , and inactions on this. For all we know trumps in debt to him for maybe billions.

[Alex4Martinez]

63. Without question. The more people who wear them, the more people WILL feel obliged to

When only one in 20 wear them, we feel it's unnecessary.

When 15 of 20 have them, we feel naked without.

We should all be wearing masks, scarves, neck gaiters, balaclavas or whatever we can find.

I wear a neck gaiter over my nose and mouth, it keeps in place a square of paper HEPA filter from a vacuum bag.

[zackymilly]

75. I have a rubber trump mask. Wonder how that would work. n/t

[musette_sf]

88. I have a rubber Beavis mask

and have considered wearing it

[zackymilly]

89. heh heh...heh heh...n/t

[musette_sf]

91. I NEED TP

FOR MY BUNGHOLE

[zackymilly]

92. Beavis knew this day was coming. n/t

[Act_of_Reparation]

79. A coronavirus particle is 70-90 nm.

You need an N95 respirator to filter that out, and we don't have nearly enough of them. Our doctors and nurses need them way more than you do.

[Marrah_Goodman]

81. yes, we should

[shanti]

83. Yes, I belive so

True, it's not going to stop micro droplets, etc., but if it keeps one from touching their face, then it's done its job, homemade or otherwise.

[DenverJared]

90. I wear mine outside the home

I remove the filter, wash it and replace the filter every night

[Buckeye_Democrat]

93. Yes!

Unfortunately, I’m in the extreme minority in my part of Ohio. I bought groceries this morning, and I was the ONLY person wearing a mask among the 100+ people that I saw in the store. Most of the other shoppers were elderly too.

Some people noticed the mask and seemed to scurry away (usually women), like I MUST be infected if I’m wearing a mask, so that was nice — i.e., they helped give me the social distancing that I desired!

[AlexSFCA]

96. that's terryfing

It would not surprise me if this pandemic will be even worse than feared. You really need to have national mandates not state by state, localities by localities. People travel by car and they will also travel after lockdown. They will kill the economy if the lockdown continues for several months.

[LisaL]

97. Yep, it's a win win.

[roamer65]

95. We should wear masks if we have them to help protect elderly and immunocompromised people.

Our bugs should be kept to ourselves as much as possible. Main place to wear them is where ever people congregate.