From the WHO web site:http://bitly.ws/a52M"Potential harms/disadvantagesThe likely disadvantages of the use of mask by healthy people in the general public include:• potential increased risk of self-contamination due to the manipulation of a face mask and subsequently touchingeyes with contaminated hands;(48, 49)• potential self-contamination that can occur if nonmedical masks are not changed when wet or soiled. Thiscan create favourable conditions for microorganism to amplify;• potential headache and/or breathing difficulties, depending on type of mask used;• potential development of facial skin lesions, irritant dermatitis or worsening acne, when used frequently forlong hours;(50)• difficulty with communicating clearly;• potential discomfort;(41, 51)• a false sense of security, leading to potentially lower adherence to other critical preventive measures such asphysical distancing and hand hygiene;• poor compliance with mask wearing, in particular by young children;• waste management issues; improper mask disposal leading to increased litter in public places, risk ofcontamination to street cleaners and environment hazard;• difficulty communicating for deaf persons who rely on lip reading;• disadvantages for or difficulty wearing them, especially for children, developmentally challenged persons, thosewith mental illness, elderly persons with cognitive impairment, those with asthma or chronic respiratory orbreathing problems, those who have had facial trauma or recent oral maxillofacial surgery, and those living in hotand humid environments."I think we have all seen practically every mask wearer flouting the rules for putting on, wearing and taking off these items, so we can conclude that the net effect of widespread mask wearing is harmful both at an individual and at a societal level.Here are the government guidelines:http://bitly.ws/a52w"When wearing a face covering you should:wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before putting a face covering on avoid wearing on your neck or foreheadavoid touching the part of the face covering in contact with your mouth and nose, as it could be contaminated with the virus change the face covering if it becomes damp or if you’ve touched itavoid taking it off and putting it back on a lot in quick succession (for example, when leaving and entering shops on a high street)When removing a face covering:wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser before removingonly handle the straps, ties or clipsdo not give it to someone else to useif single-use, dispose of it carefully in a residual waste bin and do not recycleif reusable, wash it in line with manufacturer’s instructions at the highest temperature appropriate for the fabricwash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser once removed"Bear in mind that there are reasons for exemption.
Andy Riley ● 2212d