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Facemasks Forever?

It’s obviously a good idea to wear one if you suspect you might be a bit ill. One reason it won’t catch on, and won’t be encouraged, is that we’ve treated public health primarily as a police matter, so lots of sensible health practices now look like forms of state oppression.

Another missed opportunity with regard to masks has to do with science, and public understanding of science. It seems that the science around masks was, not to put to fine a point on it, dog****, and the same goes for the scientific institutions charged with putting that science into practice. Now would be a good time to ask some far reaching questions, but it seems like that’s tantamount to Covid denialism. The result will surely be a loss of trust in science and its public institutions.
 
On the very rare occasions I went out over the past year I wore a mask, except the first time when I plain forgot
Vet wore won though and we were outside
Before you ask this for the dogs - not me

No flu or colds for me

More importantly colds, flu and upset stomach problems have gone away for many people in the past year

Masks, hand washing and keeping away from anyone that looks ill is fine by me
 
Hi,

I think masks in the long term will not be used in the UK, once the government says there are no virus issues then people will just stop using them.

The more likely alternative is that vaccines will be offered to those who feel it is best to get protection from whatever viruses are around.

Japan, Hong Kong and China I think have preferred masks because of the pollution in the air rather than any viruses that were around, this being before Covid, however I maybe wrong on that point.

It may take a year or two to get the world all vaccinated, once that is done things will gradually get back to the way we were before Covid.

Some people may continue to wear masks, however I think the great majority will stop wearing them.

Cheers

John
 
I'm sure the commonplace wearing of masks has helped enormously in Japan but I also wonder how much it's down to the fact that the Japanese are a fastidiously clean nation who tend to respect personal space.
After my umpteenth cold many years ago I read up on how to avoid.
My hand washing increased enormously. When out and about I avoid touching door handles and similar. Wash hands as soon as I can after anything risky like shaking hands
The amount of colds I caught dropped around 90%

I shall continue with mask wearing and if anyone asks
"I have something I don't want to pass on"
 
After my umpteenth cold many years ago I read up on how to avoid.
My hand washing increased enormously. When out and about I avoid touching door handles and similar. Wash hands as soon as I can after anything risky like shaking hands
The amount of colds I caught dropped around 90%

I remember someone telling me years ago that he avoided colds by washing his hands regularly and (especially) avoiding touching his face as much as possible - turns out he was right!

Regardless of covid I think the little bottle of hand sanitiser in my pocket may stay with me.
 
Masks work best when everyone is wearing them, because they mostly protect everyone else from the wearer. So if only a few continue to wear them after the pandemic they won't be that effective.

Nevertheless I can see them being very useful to wear if for example you have to go to the store with a cold, just to prevent spreading it.
 
Masks work best when everyone is wearing them, because they mostly protect everyone else from the wearer. So if only a few continue to wear them after the pandemic they won't be that effective.

Nevertheless I can see them being very useful to wear if for example you have to go to the store with a cold, just to prevent spreading it.
I'm not sure I think prevention of colds is a good idea. There's an argument that our ultra-clean homes, and kids not playing out in the gutters, woods, etc, has given us a generation or two whose immune systems haven't been given a decent workout. And I think if we prevent exposure to pretty benign bugs like the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, we might be risking our immune systems being caught napping just when we have need of them.
 
Is there a case for making the requirement to wear facemasks in enclosed public spaces permanent?
I don't think so.

Or at least strongly encouraging it in Winter.
Maybe, if you are exhibiting symptoms of a resiratory infection

The argument is that they stop the spread of disease via droplets so, even in a normal flu season, they could save a few thousand lives per year.
Is there any evidence for this?

So, suppose there was solid evidence that masking up in Winter would save 5000 lives each year. Would you support it?
Obviously yes, but there is at present no evidence. Certainly nothing solid.
 
I remember someone telling me years ago that he avoided colds by washing his hands regularly and (especially) avoiding touching his face as much as possible - turns out he was right!

Regardless of covid I think the little bottle of hand sanitiser in my pocket may stay with me.
But that advice, from the early days of the pandemic, turned out to be questionable. Better to crack a window.
 
But that advice, from the early days of the pandemic, turned out to be questionable. Better to crack a window.

It's good practice if you're not in a domestic setting and can't increase ventilation (eg public ransport).
 
It is quite normal in Japan and I think Hong Kong and other places. I suspect it is a reason they did well regarding overall death toll despite an ageing population and very high population density areas. The culture and wider understanding was already in place.


certainly in HKG mask wearing is fairly common but not the norm. Few reasons for this combine for its prevalence - pollution particulates, reaction to the first SARs outbreak and some consider it polite to wear a mask if you have a head cold.

Mind you in my experience of working in HKG, and many visits, the vast majority don't bother with masks, and it is more common to see spitting, coughing, and spluttering on the street. There are some streets where walking through gob is unavoidable.
 
I remember someone telling me years ago that he avoided colds by washing his hands regularly and (especially) avoiding touching his face as much as possible - turns out he was right!

Regardless of covid I think the little bottle of hand sanitiser in my pocket may stay with me.
Oh yes. I can take a little bottle of hand sanitiser as well

Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get us !
 
I'm not sure I think prevention of colds is a good idea. There's an argument that our ultra-clean homes, and kids not playing out in the gutters, woods, etc, has given us a generation or two whose immune systems haven't been given a decent workout. And I think if we prevent exposure to pretty benign bugs like the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, we might be risking our immune systems being caught napping just when we have need of them.
I'm happy to be proven wrong but I'm not certain that's how immune systems really work though; it's not like building muscle just in case you need to lift something heavy one day. If anything, putting the immune system under strain could be counter-productive - if it has to fight on multiple fronts simultaneously then it can't be as effective.

There isn't really any way of 'naturally training' it - either it recognises an invader and generates an immediate antibody response or it doesn't, meaning a slower response as it starts to work out how to fight. Repeatedly getting different cold viruses for example doesn't make it any better at fighting different versions in future; if it doesn't recognise whatever you've picked up, it has to start from scratch anyway and you just end up feeling rotten more often than you need to.

Shouldn't the adage that 'prevention is better than cure' ring true here?

FWIW I've been disgusted to find out just how unsanitary most people are in general and that we had to explain to people in 2020 how to wash their damn hands etc. I'll certainly be keeping hand sanitiser on me anyway in future and would definitely wear a mask if I'm unwell, just so I don't pass it on.
 
Face masks will probably be with us for the foreseeable, including after June 21. Many I suspect will continue to wear them even when/if they no longer become mandatory. I’m not too fussed if it makes people feel safe and helps keeps the virus at bay. There are worse things.
 
I'm not sure I think prevention of colds is a good idea. There's an argument that our ultra-clean homes, and kids not playing out in the gutters, woods, etc, has given us a generation or two whose immune systems haven't been given a decent workout. And I think if we prevent exposure to pretty benign bugs like the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold, we might be risking our immune systems being caught napping just when we have need of them.

Perhaps it's best to be well exposed to pathogens when young, but not when old? I wouldn't be surprised if it's best for young kids to play outside in the dirt, have pets around, and turn daycare /preschool facilities into bioweapon labs, but at the same time better for older folks to wash their hands fastidiously and wear a mask when in enclosed public spaces during flu season.
 
Wasn't taking notes when I read an article on anti bacterials and antibiotics in New Scientist a while back
Broadly we went OTT on anti bacterials and they need to be gone. They stop antibiotics working properly.
The dirt or no dirt, germs or no germs issue is slightly more complicated
Broadly - Get outside, get dirty then wash with soap
 
Wasn't taking notes when I read an article on anti bacterials and antibiotics in New Scientist a while back
Broadly we went OTT on anti bacterials and they need to be gone. They stop antibiotics working properly.
The dirt or no dirt, germs or no germs issue is slightly more complicated
Broadly - Get outside, get dirty then wash with soap
I have not seen any evidence of antibacterial chemicals stopping antibiotics working. In addition this is contrary to the way the chemistry works, they kill bacteria by different methods. It's like suggesting that attempting to beat me to death with a bat makes me resistant to being strangled or poisoned. It doesn't. I don't believe this suggestion for an instant.
 
I have not seen any evidence of antibacterial chemicals stopping antibiotics working. In addition this is contrary to the way the chemistry works, they kill bacteria by different methods. It's like suggesting that attempting to beat me to death with a bat makes me resistant to being strangled or poisoned. It doesn't. I don't believe this suggestion for an instant.

Perhaps. But overuse does stop/delay young children developing immunity to bacterial infections.
 


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