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>And multiple times a day you see people driving alone in cars wearing masks. I don't live in SF but I drive alone with a mask (and I'm fully vaccinated!). I g

>And multiple times a day you see people driving alone in cars wearing masks. I don't live in SF but I drive alone with a mask (and I'm fully vaccinated!). I generally put it on before leaving the house and keep it on until I get home so I don't risk contaminating the inside when taking it off, putting it back on, taking it off, putting it back on, etc. It's just a zero-effort bonus to mask efficacy and extra peace of mind, IMO.

radicalbyte 5y ago
I do the same, and I usually have hands full / a small child with me, so it's way easier to put the mask on before you go outside.
mnw21cam 5y ago
Agreed. Once you have put the mask on and entered a contamination-risk zone, you need to wait until you have access to hand-washing facilities before you take it off again. Constantly taking it off and putting it on again is a great way to spread the virus all over your face. When I'm out, I carry hand sanitiser for this reason, but even so I don't want to be shifting my mask around and sanitising all the time.
prepend 5y ago
> don't risk contaminating the inside when taking it off, putting it back on Unless you’re using a respirator (N95, etc) the point of the mask isn’t to prevent you from contracting covid, but from spreading through exhalation. So the concerns about contaminating the mask aren’t very relevant to covid as, since I’m the potential source, the inside of the mask is already contaminated through my breathing and using my hands to put it on. Lots of people get confused as to the hygiene procedures needed for using masks. One thing that helps me remember is that I’m trying to put a barrier between me and the world, not between the world and me. When using PPE to prevent self-infection, the protocol is totally different and requires a clean chain that I think is something like: disinfect hands, goggles/eye shield, open respirator, apply without touching inside. Doffing is the reverse.

radicalbyte 5y ago

I do the same, and I usually have hands full / a small child with me, so it's way easier to put the mask on before you go outside.

mnw21cam 5y ago

Agreed. Once you have put the mask on and entered a contamination-risk zone, you need to wait until you have access to hand-washing facilities before you take it off again. Constantly taking it off and putting it on again is a great way to spread the virus all over your face. When I'm out, I carry hand sanitiser for this reason, but even so I don't want to be shifting my mask around and sanitising all the time.

prepend 5y ago

> don't risk contaminating the inside when taking it off, putting it back on Unless you’re using a respirator (N95, etc) the point of the mask isn’t to prevent you from contracting covid, but from spreading through exhalation. So the concerns about contaminating the mask aren’t very relevant to covid as, since I’m the potential source, the inside of the mask is already contaminated through my breathing and using my hands to put it on. Lots of people get confused as to the hygiene procedures needed for using masks. One thing that helps me remember is that I’m trying to put a barrier between me and the world, not between the world and me. When using PPE to prevent self-infection, the protocol is totally different and requires a clean chain that I think is something like: disinfect hands, goggles/eye shield, open respirator, apply without touching inside. Doffing is the reverse.