Can Wearing Masks Stop the Spread of Viruses?
In the News
One of the abiding images of any virus outbreak is people in surgical masks.
Using them to prevent infection is popular in many countries around the world, most notably China during the current coronavirus outbreak where they are also worn to protect against high pollution levels.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51205344
Would you wear one?
Do you wear one?
I do not think so....because if u touch a surface than your face, you can still transfer the thing.
I thought it was highly contagious/infectious too but people are wearing them? What for? 
The masks are there to stop small particles in the air that may contain the virus. Its a bit like using hand sanitizers etc. Its more a preventative measure than a fix or a all round stop. In other words its better to have one than not as it MAY help. Wouldn't be half as effective as a respirator though.
tumblespots Cant say iv heard that. When I was in hospital last year with influenza I was in A+E for ours and the doctors gave me one of those masks to wear. Again it wouldn't be like quarantine measures lol but its just an extra precaution.
Dublish I just read another article which starts like this :-
A chemist in Edinburgh has sold out of surgical masks just a day after it was revealed that three people were being tested in the Scottish capital for coronavirus, Edinburgh Evening News reported.
The masks, more commonly used by health professionals during medical procedures, have been adopted by many in areas threatened by the coronavirus.
Experts, however, are split on whether the masks are effective as a means to prevent the spread of the airborne disease.
So they are contradicting each other on the effectiveness! I suppose, if in doubt - wear one. 
Dublish Interesting. Although people who don't wear the masks and cough & splutter in the open are leaving those droplets everywhere on your clothing, hair & mobile phones etc...?
I wonder if just wrapping a scarf would do the same thing. Would I wear one, yes I would. I would love to wear a mask on the bus all the time. I think public transport is dirty and gross and full of germs. I know I would probably get shouted at or worse in my home town if I did wear one. I think the Chinese have the right idea when they wear these on the subways, etc.
I might wear it for other reasons but I don't believe it protects you against this new virus
You can wear a mask which stops you transferring germs from your mouth or inhaling other peopleβs germs but it wonβt stop the spread of germs from your hands if you are not washing them enough especially if you touch your mouth
My mate Scott just bought a stock of 5000 army and navy gas mask old stock - he has sold 1000 in the first 3 days and has made 10 times what he paid for each one - people are really panicking and some are making a lot of money from it - He is now buying hazmat suits and other protection gear - clever guy Scott he was always a wheeler dealer lol
I guess the filtration allows oxygen in etc but not viruses, i.e. a very fine weave. As small as viruses are and invisible to the eye they do have some size.
If you think of yourself as a computer with a program, viruses are corrupt data that might interfere with your program and stop it running as well, stop it working altogether or simply have no effect at all. Part of the ageing process is the gradual corruption of the this program and viruses are probably part of that ageing process. The majority of our DNA is all rubbish data that serves no purpose. If you could make DNA perfect removing all the wasted space it would be absolutely tiny compared to its current size. I suspect the majority of viruses are changing your DNA with no real effect as its in areas that don't matter. 98.8% of our DNA is estimated to be junk and not actual organic code that is needed.
It's good to avoid the really nasty viruses like this corona strain it has a 1 in 33 chance of killing you although of course it is the very young and old that are most vulnerable.
No. I have one to mask smells, but not for medical reasons. In the uk, I get strange looks for wearing one, but theyβre very commonly worn in Asia
I saw a young girl at Iceland wearing a mask...I live in Scotland...if there's a risk of getting that virus...I would wear one and not give a jot what anyone thought. I might even draw some shark teeth on it ...just to jazz it up. 
Sounds like a good idea, you could also draw eyes on your eye lids so that when you close your eyes they still look open! (Didn't paul mccartney do that in one of his video's?)
It's worth actually reading the BBC article before deciding:
Here's the link: Can wearing masks stop the spread of viruses?
Masks sound like a total waste of time for this virus, but the article tells you what you should do to help!
It not just your mouth and nose, but also your eyes that you need to protect against viruses or bacteria carried in the air. Obviously you mustnβt touch your mouth, nose, or eyes with your hands if they have touched anything else, without washing your hands first. That is much much harder to do, and keep doing, than it sounds.
They make several good points. I was particularly interested in the disposal of the used masks? I wonder where people are actually putting them? If masks would/could help with the virus why aren't they being handed out to the general public for free?
I thin we should wear masks, I think it would decrease folks sneezing in other peoples faces for one and passing on germs and thats without the Coronavirus situation we have atm.
I'm sure in the 'olden days' they used to promote better health care such as the old saying 'coughs and sneezes spread diseases' and the like. It would be better if people listened to some of the old sayings...
Are you wearing one when you leave the house? What about goggles to protect your eyes?
No. The virus still can theoretically exit through the hosts' eyes and ears. Just covering your mouth and nose isn't enough.
It can help stop airborne viruses but you also need to watch what you touch and wash hands/use sanitiser frequently.
They are not totally affective as youβre still breathing air which would have particles in it However they are preventative measure
The virus is spreading to more countries because those in charge of security are allowing it. For example, in Portugal they're allowing those who arrived from China to go unchecked.
So much for being one of the safer countries in the world.
I also found it worrying. Firstly I read that you can have the virus for 2 weeks before any symptoms. Then there was an article saying that UK residents returning from Wuhan could come back if they agreed to a quarantine of 2 weeks. My thoughts were: why only 2 weeks if that is only the incubation period. The quarantine should be longer than that to be sure there is no infection!! We could all be wiped out...
To some extent to prevent coughs and sneezes but poor hand washing, also the virus finds ways into the body
Poor or non-existent hand washing is a big bug bear of mine anyway but I don't wear a mask.
tumblespots yep I agree, I never catch colds. I worked with children so good handwashing was important, but i have such dry hands
They may look silly and goofy, but they're safer from the virus than those who think a mere mask does anything to stop it.
That is spooky, what a crazy world! Just how often do they clean them and how do they clean them enough to know that they have removed all traces of anything nasty?
I do hope that people consider public places like schools, and doctors surgeries as being a place where you can pic bugs up. I think schools should put masks in place just in case.
That has always been my opinion. Schools, surgeries & hospitals are great incubators for bugs. I rarely go to any of these places if I can help it for that very reason!
My parents spotted a lady wearing a mask out shopping yesterday. I am wondering if I should look into this or is this just another swine flu type scare? I don't know; do I believe the media hype and start looking into supplies in case we are on lockdown or just carry on as normal? My mother is freaking out. She always does over anything like this. She is giving me updates constantly on death rates, etc. It is getting on my nerves already.
We have this panic every year usually about the most recent strain of flu virus. Let's face it there are many bugs/viruses out there just waiting for a new host to infect, but, you can't just live in fear because then you aren't really living. I carry on unless the threat comes closer to home.
tumblespots normally I'm in a position were I can ignore the latest health scare but its because I'm living here with them at the moment, so I'm hearing about it non-stop. It is rather annoying.
tumblespots yes and possibly this thanks to rockman sharing the link. Maybe we all buy one now before the prices go up? 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Womdee-Plague-Leather-Halloween-Costume/dp/B07HVVV79P/?tag=lates05-21
I have seen several people wearing masks the last couple of days when I was out shopping (in London) and people who coughed in public without covering their mouths (what were they thinking - honestly 
) got angry stares with people moving away from them (one covering his face with a newspaper).
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