Good long article on face masks

[Brendan Burgess]

All you need to know about wearing face masks in public

With more and more of us wearing face masks in public, here's a guide to what to do - and what not to do.

www.rte.ie

Who should wear a face mask?
Opinion is divided and advice on this varies greatly and can change. Current advice from the World Health Organisation is that you should wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected Covid-19 infection. The HSE advice is that wearing a mask is unlikely to be of any benefit if you are not sick. However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggest healthy individuals could consider wearing a face mask when using public transport, visiting busy closed spaces, such as supermarkets and for certain workplaces and professions that involve physical proximity to many other people.

 

[Leo]

CDC advice including DIY instructions here.

 

[odyssey06]

Use of face masks for general public in shops and public transport being considered here:

Varadkar: 'Wearing a face mask will not be compulsory if introduced'

CMO Tony Holohan stressed that any change in guidance must not affect supply for healthcare staff.

www.thejournal.ie

 

[DeeKie]

Where are people buying face masks and what criteria are you using to buy them?

 

[odyssey06]

I got disposable 3-ply surgical masks in local chemist, 10 for €20, the thin blue ones - see picture in article linked below, and a summary of what they do and don't do.

But from what I'm reading only N95 respirators are really effective at protecting you close quarters - and they have to be a perfect fit for you and fitted just right. N95 respirators are hard to come by and the advice is that they should be reserved for health workers.
The surgical masks are more about limiting you from spreading it if you have it.

The other problem as a spectacles wearer is that immediately if I go indoors with surgical mask on glasses steam up and blind me
I think I need to fiddle more with the metal strip that you form around your nose to prevent air flowing upwards.

Best COVID-19 Face Masks

N95s and KN95s masks, called respirators, are the gold standard for blocking out viruses. We’ve rounded up the 10 best masks.

www.healthline.com

Widely Used Surgical Masks Are Putting Health Care Workers At Serious Risk - KFF Health News

Because high-end N95 masks are scarce, medical centers are using surgical masks that have been linked to considerably higher infection rates.

khn.org