...apparently in France there is a shortage and people have actually been breaking into emergency vehicles to steal them! Now I may be off the mark here but when I go out here I am ensuring I keep several feet away from people... (all of whom are covering their faces, often with either ill fitting masks (useless) or scarves equally useless) I even see drivers wearing them in a car where they are the sole occupant!! -One person I encountered in our local supermarket was covering her face with a woolly scarf and cling film -insisting her Dr told her to!! Disposable gloves are more important IMO after all I am not going to get the virus directly from someone if I keep my distance but I could contract it from the handle of a trolley, basket or an item someone has picked up and then put down or even change/notes passed to me from a till at checkout or the button on the card authorisation keypad. They are readily available in supermarkets anyway as people have always been actively encouraged to wear them in the vegetable and fruit section before handling loose goods like tomatoes and other fruit and vegetables and they are on a roll with the plastic bags you put the veg in before you weigh it and stick the price label on it. The other option is to constantly use the gel - that is until you run out 'cos the small local supermarket (the only one we are allowed to go to doesn't have any (never did)) The local Farmacia now has a small supply at the new serving window at 6 euros for a small bottle !!
Not that common here yet. I think there is no doubt they make a difference probably more in stopping you touching your mouth or coughing over others but I think they are far more important for emergency workers who have to be close to sufferers for most people it’s accepted that keeping a couple of metres away is much more important.
The thing is if you the masks are used to protect yourself then they are useless, what should happen is those with symptoms should wear them then the virus would be trapped
Agree with Farnham on this especially on the theory that masks serve a purpose to stop the wearer spreading any disease whilst in contact with other people( like tyke69 said but drinking my panic bought beer stash so a bit merry!!)
I've been wearing a scarf, just to scare people from coming too close. Burberry lookalike I picked up in Mallorca a few years back. I look like a football ultra. Someone to be avoided. I think it is working great. PS I bought it for 8 euros from an african gentleman & have only worn it twice with a hooded North Face coat at fancy dress parties to be the scariest lovely person in the room. Best buy I've made in a long time.
How does someone with the virus pass the virus on to say any cash they are carrying? And if you are handed that cash presumably if you don't put your hand near your mouth it can't get into your system?
Card is safer, the virus cannot live on a card. If you want to be safe a glove on your hand to input your pin.
but how would the virus get on to coins in the first place and how does it get into our system if we get those coins?
If you don't touch your face after handling & wash your hands with soap & water thoroughly you will be fine. Same for notes as i understand. The chemical constituency of cards apparently means it can't live on them.
Infected person (not tested) coughs into hand on way to shop, buys newspaper with coins. You go to shop and get his £1 coin in your change, on way back from shop, you touch your face. that transmission could have been broken by the first customer using a tissue, then washing / hand gel. or you not touching your face, getting home and washing your hands. or either of you using a card. That’s why the experts just keep saying Wash your hands and don’t touch your face. it’s simple but effective and daft folk can’t see the point (because it seems so useless).
Infected person coughs, transfers it to door handle. Anyone that touches it for next few hours get it on their hands and transfers to the coins. The coins go to the shopkeeper, into the till, then back into your change. Multiple infections from one source. Doesn't even have to be direct
