Coronavirus

[cloughie]

Yes. Get those masks which have a wire band which you can mould to the nose. Take your glasses off before you put mask on, mould the wire to your nose and cheeks then put glasses back on. The blurring on the glasses is caused by your breath escaping where the mask hasn't been moulded properly. It might take a little practice but this was the advice my optician gave and it works fine.

Of course, the cold weather doesn't help but the above should solve the problem.

Cold weather and high humidity are not a good combination!

[cloughie]

I had an eye-test appointment last week(close family member with glaucoma meant it could go ahead rather than be postponed) and remembered to ask about this. I now have a little spray bottle - application process a bit of a faff and the lenses are sometimes a little bit blurry but now I can see when going into shops. Such a relief, not least after a couple of scary incidents where instant fogging rendered me unable to see at all, which isn't a good state of affairs given the risk that falls pose to me. Taking glasses off has very limited benefit as I'm shortsighted, have progressing longsightedness (no I didn't realise that could happen either) and astigmatism. The anti-fogging comes as wipes as well, which are easier to use, but they had run out. It's Specsavers branded but alternatives will be available - I wanted to make sure I got something that was suitable for the coatings I have on my glasses, hence asking at the appointment - but perhaps somewhere like Boots(online or otherwise) might be able to help?
The next task is to get into the routine of daily cleaning and re-applying...

Do you know what chemicals are in it ?

[Petrushka]

Thanks from me! I'd assumed the wire bit was supposed to go under the chin, as the batch number printed on the inside of all my masks is that way up!

The thing is, of course, if your breath is escaping at the top of the mask it renders it completely useless as that is exactly the point of wearing one in the first place!

The amount of proper advice regarding all aspects of face masks is woefully inadequate. As for face shields...a friend of mine claims to get panic attacks when wearing a proper mask and insists on wearing a shield. Exhortations to try a bit harder just don't cut it, I'm afraid, nor do various studies finding face shields more or less useless. Wearing a mask isn't easy at first, but you soon get used to it and the panic attacks (not sure it constitutes a 'medical reason' for not wearing a mask either) quickly disappear.

[oddoneout]

Do you know what chemicals are in it ?

Methylchloroisothiazolinone is what I think it says on the bottle. Tiny lettering on a clear tube only about 1.5cm diameter is a bit of a challenge! I notice(because the lettering is bigger) that the manufacturer is Optoplast if that's of any use.
You're right about the combination of cold and humidity, but there is evidently a critical level at which it becomes problematic, as I had mostly been managing OK with the method Petrushka mentions(coupled with controlling breathing as the mask wearing tends to exacerbate allergy effects), but then suddenly things tipped over into 'can't manage' on too many occasions.

[vinteuil]

Methylchloroisothiazolinone ...

... can cause contact dermatitis

https://www.healthline.com/health/methylchloroisothiazolinone

https://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/methylisothiazolinone/

..

[oddoneout]

... can cause contact dermatitis

https://www.healthline.com/health/methylchloroisothiazolinone

https://www.safecosmetics.org/get-the-facts/chemicals-of-concern/methylisothiazolinone/

..

There is a warning on the bottle - although as per earlier post not really visible. I'm always careful with such substances anyway, post-use handwashing is standard, and it's a once-a-day procedure. In any case the risks to me from a fall far outweigh any risk of dermatitis!

[Bryn]

It has been suggested a few times on various broadcasts that a thin smear of washing-up liquid will do the job.

[Frances_iom]

I find it difficult to understand that the role of the metal strip in the standard surgical mask could be so misunderstood - maybe I just haven't spent enough time in the general public away from the STEM area in which I taught and even comprises much of my hobby interests. Was the comment re its use as a chinstrap meant as a joke?

[Serial_Apologist]

I find it difficult to understand that the role of the metal strip in the standard surgical mask could be so misunderstood - maybe I just haven't spent enough time in the general public away from the STEM area in which I taught and even comprises much of my hobby interests. Was the comment re its use as a chinstrap meant as a joke?

I remember that when the common Type 2 mask was demonstrated at an early point during the pandemic, the presenter pointed to the downward dovetailed design of the pleats with a statement that these were "obviously" designed to direct the breath downwards, otherwise one would be exhaling back into one's own face. If worn that way, which up until now I have always done, notwithstanding the misting effect on lenses, the wire strip tucks under the chin.

[Frances_iom]

I'm supposed to go into Tesco with a bottle of Fairy Liquid in my poçket and get arrested?

no but don't try coming out without a till receipt

[teamsaint]

I had an eye-test appointment last week(close family member with glaucoma meant it could go ahead rather than be postponed) and remembered to ask about this. I now have a little spray bottle - application process a bit of a faff and the lenses are sometimes a little bit blurry but now I can see when going into shops. Such a relief, not least after a couple of scary incidents where instant fogging rendered me unable to see at all, which isn't a good state of affairs given the risk that falls pose to me. Taking glasses off has very limited benefit as I'm shortsighted, have progressing longsightedness (no I didn't realise that could happen either) and astigmatism. The anti-fogging comes as wipes as well, which are easier to use, but they had run out. It's Specsavers branded but alternatives will be available - I wanted to make sure I got something that was suitable for the coatings I have on my glasses, hence asking at the appointment - but perhaps somewhere like Boots(online or otherwise) might be able to help?
The next task is to get into the routine of daily cleaning and re-applying...

I have an astigmatism, short sight, and the sort of long sight you get with increasing seniority.

I had a long overdue review of my beloved contact lenses in the autumn. My gas permeable contact lenses ( which I wholeheartedly recommend) are adjusted to give me adequate / reasonable reading vision, and I treated myself to two pairs of varifocal glasses for the first time . Fantastic upgrades . And I avoided getting covid into the bargain .

If you have never tried gas permeable lenses, I really recommend trying them, though they take a little getting used to. They were the first thing I bought when I started work in 1984, and I still love them.

[french frank]

I find it difficult to understand that the role of the metal strip in the standard surgical mask could be so misunderstood

This from Reuters - Fact check: Metal strip in medical masks is not a 5G antenna

[Serial_Apologist]

This from Reuters - Fact check: Metal strip in medical masks is not a 5G antenna

Just remember it's there before attempting to decontaminate your mask in the microwave!

[oddoneout]

I find it difficult to understand that the role of the metal strip in the standard surgical mask could be so misunderstood - maybe I just haven't spent enough time in the general public away from the STEM area in which I taught and even comprises much of my hobby interests. Was the comment re its use as a chinstrap meant as a joke?

Judging by those I see when out and about the message about which way up and which side out is gradually getting through. The metal strip thing not so much I think. The fact that there is no info on the mask to indicate up and out probably plays a part in that. I don't know what info is on the packs that people buy as I only used the single use ones at work, so just tended to grab and go - I already knew which way round/up. Most staff were able to attend the pre-opening training session and so had that demonstrated and others were shown the way when they came in for shifts.

[Petrushka]

I find it difficult to understand that the role of the metal strip in the standard surgical mask could be so misunderstood - maybe I just haven't spent enough time in the general public away from the STEM area in which I taught and even comprises much of my hobby interests. Was the comment re its use as a chinstrap meant as a joke?

Just bears out what I said about information being given out re masks is woefully inadequate and that only leads to stupid conspiracy theories and more people catching the virus because some don't know how to wear them. Moreover, many persist in wearing masks which are next to useless. It really is time to ditch the silly ideas about making anything remotely useful out of an old T-shirt.

Were the 1939 public given duff information about gas masks? Yes, I realise that they would have been useless in the event of a gas attack but the level of compliance was 100%. No-one went anywhere without one. (Remember the newsreel film of a dog and a baby wearing one?)