Austria to make basic face masks compulsory in supermarkets

Thanks, figure 5 is especially interesting since it implies it gives the wearer of surgical masks some protection.

I think the idea that larger droplets are required for an infection is congruent with an R0 of about 3. If super small droplets would be sufficient then a single person would easily infect pretty much everybody taking a bus with her/him together. R0 would be much larger.

Masks are explicitly allowed. They cleared that up right aftre the law come to effect.

""" kein Verstoß gegen das Gesichtsverhüllungsverbot vor:

Mund- und Nasen-Schutzmasken, Atemschutzmasken; Gesichtsverhüllung zum Schutz vor Frost """

Roughly translates to:

""" It is no violation of the ban on face covering:

Mouth and nose protective masks, respiratory masks; Face covering to protect against frost """

Source[1] https://www.oesterreich.gv.at/themen/leben_in_oesterreich/au...

I do know people with sewing skills but I can't go visit them during social distancing :-/

Yes. Countries that have managed R<1 have their population wearing masks in public.

slightly R>1 is fine if it doesn't overload the intensive care and doesn't increase deaths. If we want to build some herd immunity..

(just my opinion)

How has Thailand handle production? In America, masks are nowhere to be found, and ordering the online takes a month or longer.

Sure, but how are people supposed to wear masks if they can't buy them anywhere?

Both, to a certain degree.

I think the important part of the discussion is to separate the concept of protecting others from the concept of protecting yourself. As a population we can likely protect each other somewhat by wearing poor/basic masks. If it reduces spread by a few percent it's worth it so long as masks are available without starving supplies in healthcare.

Healthcare staff must protect themselves as well, so need real protective masks. So long as those masks aren't available to healthcare, we should avoid buying them in the rest of the population. In the meantime perhaps a lousy scarf can be used.

Are n95 masks considered basic? I would think a basic face mask refers to something like a surgical mask, which doesn't protect the wearer but protects others from getting infected by droplets from the wearer.

JFYI, the N95 masks are NOT intended for the average person anyway. (in EU they are called FFP2/FFP3)

They need face fitting and some basic usage instructions.

If not correctly fitted they won't be effective, as air (like in more common "surgical" masks) will enter (and exit) from the sides.

Supermarkets will be providing surgical masks (not N95) free of charge. In places where none are available, use will not be mandatory at this point (though strongly recommended).

The article talks about mandatory masks, i.e surgical masks, for shoppers, to reduce spreading by shoppers.

No N95 masks needed, those are needed for healthcare workers (and need to be replaced very frequently).

You most certainly:

don't need it

would reduce the amount available for people that need it

would wear it wrong

would wear it too long

touch it with your hands

would get a false sense of safety

[deleted]

And it is not mandatory in Italy and Spain, where the situation is way worse.

In Slovenia it is mandatory starting today. In the meanwhile you can buy it here...

Czechia made it mandatory because government made really huge mistakes in first 2 weeks* and they are scared and panicking because health care system is underfunded for long time. There is no reason to wear mask in every public space as everything except centers of big cities is empty during lockdown. It makes sense inside but not in parks and empty streets. It just forces people to waste masks which are not in huge supply globally.

* In February prime minister forbid hospitals to buy face mask and decided that he will buy them centrally and than distribute them to hospitals. In the begining of March when coronavirus appeared in Czech republic he also sent finacial control against face mask importers to ensure that they are not selling anything. He wanted to look as savior of the country but he wasn't able to buy any masks so for 2 weeks there were only 10 000 mask from reserves for the whole country. People started to sew mask at home and partially saved situation. After that prime minister made wearing mask mandatory which in my opinion is mainly PR to make the home made masks look like his own initiative. He also spreads fake news about Germany, Austria and other west European countries saying that they are not responsible and that they just copy Czech measures when it is too late. But in reality his administrative is really struggling without any plan and his main efforts go to PR.

It is enough if you do not touch your face and clean your hands at home. It will not go into your body through skin.

This is the basic cloth masks that are easily manufactured, wearing them can protect -or reduce the chance- others in the same space from catching the virus.

The thread is about Austria, not Australia; the article states that supermarkets will be providing masks free of charge.