Consumer-level face-mask Prices (Wearing Face Masks in Public)

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mathepac

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I enquired about these in Boots in Kilkenny today.

I was quoted €15 for a pack of 10 or €35 for a pack of 50. The person I spoke to said these are sample prices as they stock varying brands and packaging quantities.

As these are non-medical grade items and I therefore question their value at filtering out viruses, are the prices not a bit on the high side for single-use disposables?
 
mathepac said:
As these are non-medical grade items and I therefore question their value at filtering out viruses, are the prices not a bit on the high side for single-use disposables?
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It's hard to respond to that part of the query without knowing more about the masks, there are other threads about the different types.
It's more about preventing transmission than protecting you, unless you have an N95 one and are trained in its use.
e.g. https://www.askaboutmoney.com/threads/good-long-article-on-face-masks.217159/#post-1659494

My local chemist is charging €20 for 10 of the 'blue' masks, which are medical grade (i.e. surgical masks) but not N95 respirator level ones.
They don't offer much more protection from coronavirus than a cloth covering would - only from 'large droplets' like a direct sneeze or cough in your face, but not from inhaled air containing small suspended droplets.
However, as I wear glasses and have figured out how to use them (i.e. pinch the metal strip against bridge of nose) without steaming up my glasses, I will stick with them. Any homemade covering would not work for me.

What I do is bag up mask after using. Leave in sunlight. Wash hands after touching. Re-use next week.
 
I checked with another pharmacy today and bought the pictured mask which I'll leave in the car. It cost €5 and the important bit for me was the word "FASHION" on the packaging!! Machine washable and reusable, but lacking the important bridge strip. As a spectacles wearer, it's a must for me too. It'll do for now.

The sales-assistant in the pharmacy brought me out, unasked I hasten to add, a variety of reusable and disposable masks ranging in price from €100 for 50 to the Boots type prices. Disposables don't interest me - there's so much waste plastic blowing around now it'll take us decades to get rid of it safely.

My only motivation in getting the mask(s) was to potentially protect others. I seem to have a touch of hay-fever - runny nose, eyes and sneezing; carrying shopping, phone, wallet & car-keys makes it awkward to get the old hanky out in time with pocket space at a premium in these warmer times.
 

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Let us know how you get on with that mask re comfort and fit and steaming up.

It is a bit more mad max than medical looking!
I got used to seeing the blue masks about but those black ones still throw me.
 
AFAIK the recommendation in Ireland is a face covering rather then a face mask.
An auld pair o’ jox ‘ill do.
 
I’ve seen Joy Division ones advertised on FB, with the Unknown Pleasures album artwork on them.
That’s the only face mask I’d consider buying.
One of the guys from Altern-8 gave instructions on how to make their masks:

Facebook

www.facebook.com www.facebook.com
 
odyssey06 said:
What I do is bag up mask after using. Leave in sunlight. Wash hands after touching. Re-use next week.
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I don't "bag up" but I leave my used mask on the backseat of my car. I have a few of them scattered there for up to two months now. These are the blue surgical type masks. I have thought of reusing them as they were only worn for a visit to a supermarket (less than 30 mins), and I am sure that leaving them untouched on the backseat of my car in the sunlight has killed off any germs that might be on them?
 
SoylentGreen said:
I don't "bag up" but I leave my used mask on the backseat of my car. I have a few of them scattered there for up to two months now. These are the blue surgical type masks. I have thought of reusing them as they were only worn for a visit to a supermarket (less than 30 mins), and I am sure that leaving them untouched on the backseat of my car in the sunlight has killed off any germs that might be on them?
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Not sure if sunlight will really hit them on the backseat of the car - think car windows have UV filters.
But if they've been left for 48-72 hours in dry conditions, then from what I've read pretty sure that means there'd be no active viruses left on it.
 
AFAIK, the blue surgical type masks are meant to be one use only disposable types, as is the case with many of the gloves. Hence the litter everywhere. Not sure how reusable they are.
 
Drakon said:
AFAIK, the blue surgical type masks are meant to be one use only disposable types, as is the case with many of the gloves. Hence the litter everywhere. Not sure how reusable they are.
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Well they would no longer be sterile, but then neither would any random 'face covering' or homemade cloth mask.
For wearing to the supermarkets they would be better than the above though as a better fit, for containing any coughs \ sneezes \ large droplets.
 
I re-wear the same mask every time I go to the shop. I've spend a lifetime with car keys, money and used tissues in my pockets which I handle then rub my eye, pick my nose, pick my teeth, open doors etc and I haven't killed myself yet. I wear the mask to make older and vulnerable (sick and fat) people feel safer.
 
“feel safer”?
When I see people with masks I think “fear”. Maybe I’ll get used to it over the coming years.
 
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Drakon said:
“feel safer”?
When I see people with masks I think “fear”. Maybe I’ll get used to it over the coming years.
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Medical type masks, not "I'm going to mug you" type masks.
I was going to get one of https://www.amazon.com/Unknown-TB26462-Rotten-Gums-Mask/dp/B00K88JEYW/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=zombie+mask&qid=1591626549&sr=8-11 (these)and put a medical mask on over it but my daughter said not everyone would find it funny.
 
Drakon said:
AFAIK the recommendation in Ireland is a face covering rather then a face mask.
An auld pair o’ jox ‘ill do.
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Or an old bra.
You can only use the left side though, If you used the other you could be called a right tit.

Not having a spare jocks or bra I picked up 20 of the standard blue masks for €15 today in Dunnes.
 
The government may be doing a Joe Jacob on it; sending a pack of masks to every home in the country.
Which reminds me... where are my iodine tablets.
 
Drakon said:
The government may be doing a Joe Jacob on it; sending a pack of masks to every home in the country.
Which reminds me... where are my iodine tablets.
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I think Spanish government put the resources and legislation in place such that masks were available for 50c-1e each in shops and pharmacies.
As in 1 euro was max price.
 
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