Britain ‘lags way behind’ in wearing face masks, scientists say

[AtW]

Who the hell is going to wear a mask on the beach in the fresh air ?

The point is not going to the beach in the first place, or bars near beach!

[AtW]

I went Alton Towers at the weekend... No need for masks in a socially distanced queue line (and it was) and then you put it on when you get on the ride. Sensible...

No, sensible is not to go to Alton Towers at the moment!

[dx4100]

The point is not going to the beach in the first place, or bars near beach!

Because everyone knows the virus spreads better on the beach in the fresh air ?

Ok I get it now - you are one of these people who think we must all just stopped doing everything remotely fun. lmao. On ya bike

[dx4100]

No, sensible is not to go to Alton Towers at the moment!

But I bet you are happy going to the supermarket ?

[BlasterBates]

Face masks dramatically reduce the spread of COVID19

[AtW]

But I bet you are happy going to the supermarket ?

No, not happy at all, but Waitrose got no delivery slots and eating from Iceland all the time can increase risks of suicide

[AtW]

Face masks dramatically reduce the spread of COVID19

Fake news, Trump and Boris know better

[NotAllThere]

Is there evidence that face coverings are effective against Covid-19?

Yes. Not certain, but it is looking increasingly likely that they will reduce risk. E.g. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/l...142-9/fulltext

This photo is currently on the bbc website which I think perfectly highlights why masks create more problems than they are worth and just goes to show how people throw social distancing to the curb when they wear them... Look how close the worker and the couple are...

It's doesn't perfectly highlight anything. There's no context, you don't know how long the interaction was, and one photo of three people standing in proximity is hardly conclusive proof.

[dx4100]

Yes. Not certain, but it is looking increasingly likely that they will reduce risk. E.g. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/l...142-9/fulltext

It's doesn't perfectly highlight anything. There's no context, you don't know how long the interaction was, and one photo of three people standing in proximity is hardly conclusive proof.

I wasn't going for conclusive proof ..

The photo, no matter which way you view it, shows an interaction at very close quarters, directly face to face, and its the sort of photo that most people would realise shouldn't happen if everyone has their brains switched on. I wouldn't be comfortable being that close to someone with or without a mask.

[rogerfederer]

Is there evidence that face coverings are effective against Covid-19?

Circumstantial evidence. If an FFP3 and, to a lesser extent, FFP2 respirator mask reduce transmission then it stands to reason that a face covering would do so too. The risk is your dirty hands touching whatever mask you wear and contaminating it. If someone sneezes, coughs or otherwise sheds the virus into the air in droplets through breathing then it stands to reason that a face covering will be of some benefit to stop the droplet transmission. If you're paranoid, go for an N100 respirator facemask, it'll train your lungs to be stronger anyway.

There is enough evidence to state that there is some benefit to wearing one, with a full protection US grade N100 being optimal, but more difficult to breathe comfortably.

Do people want a year-long longitudinal study before trying them out? I made the mistake of reading the comments on a Telegraph article surrounding the mask idea and it was as if reading pure idiocy. Would you wash your hands thoroughly without soap and water? Have you read any studies to suggest that soap and water are 100% effective?

No, nobody here has read those studies, yet we wash our hands. Unfortunately a substantial part of society are not skeptical about anything - even things that do work in some regard - and demand comprehensive gold standard studies that they are ill fit to comprehend anyway.

Unfortunately the misinformation methodology is winning and logical, rational people are struggling to cope with the questioning of basic scientific principles, because until now they were accepted as standard within society.