Do you think this will become a fashion statement this winter?

[ck4829]

http://www.scienceexperts.com/Mask-Dust-BPSPP,jpg.jpg

[mikelgb]

1. Better Safe than SARS!!!!!

oh wait that was the last health scare........................

[havocmom]

2. Am hoping the BIG color in D.C. will be Orange

and the style: jumpsuits with bondage accessories :evilgrin:

[hlthe2b]

3. what many fail to realize in flu season... is that washing hands...

consistently, regularly, frequently is the best protection.... Look around at all the opportunities to spread viruses mechanically. Now the grocery stores require EVERYONE to use the same stylet to hit the touchpad and sign a signature. You touch the same shopping carts, doornobs (even after washing hands in the bathroom). No, you don't have to use those drying anti-bacterial soaps--just the act of scrubbing with standard soap and water, followed by single use paper towel (which is retained to open the doorknob...can go a very long way.

As people look for high tech solutions (note that Tamiflu has NOT been shown to reduce mortality from avian flu, yet many are banking on it as a magic bullet). High filtration N95 face masks, used by ER staff last only as long as they stay dry... so wearing one for hours would soak up your own perspiration, respiratory secretions, etc. and render it useless. (and guys with beards or other facial hair, these masks never work for you). Yet many would buy one (or even a worthless dust mask from a local store) and wear it every day, hoping it would make the difference as we saw with SARS.

Wash your hands....stay out of large crowds during cold/flu season, but, yes, Mom was right...wash your hands.

[Lindsay]

4. Well, MY mom said,

"Wear clean underwear in case you get hit by a streetcar."

:evilgrin:

But your point is well taken.

[acmejack]

7. Very sound advice.

Those little wipes are handy too. Plus you too can be just like Adrian Monk.

[TahitiNut]

8. A face mask would reduce the times one touched their face with their hands

The reason for washing hands isn't because the virus enters the pores of the hands ... it's because people touch their face with their hands. Eyes, nose and mouth are ways such a virus enters the body. One reason a smoker is more susceptible is due to conveying the virus to the mouth by touching the cigarette.

So, wash your hands, keep your hands away from your face, and use a disinfectant on surfaces in your home if you have an elderly person there that's largely house-bound (like I do).

[hlthe2b]

13. Do you really think people are wearing face masks to avoid

putting their hands in their mouths? While, I agree it would be helpful if it were the ultimate "reminder" that prevents inadvertent spread of virus from unwashed hands to the mouth, I fear most believe the mask is protecting them and then don't bother to wash their hands. The act of handling the external contaminated side of the face mask, then poses a good threat for oral spread, just as handling a cigarette, as you suggest.

BTW, I did not, in any way, mean to suggest washing hands was to prevent the virus from entering the pores of the hands. I'm confused how you interpreted that from my post. :shrug: Nonetheless I think you understand the point I was making...

[TahitiNut]

14. I never said you did suggest that.

How would you possibly interpret my post as making such a suggestion? The point I was making was that the objective of washing one's hands isn't merely to protect the hands. It's ALL about what gets touched AFTER picking up a virus from a contaminated surface. While some airborne contagion can occur, the most common vector for viral contagion is mechanical -- hitchhiking. Without making that point, the hand-washing can be ineffective since it must be done in concert with keeping one's hands away from one's face as much as possible.

Nor did I say that the purpose of wearing a mask would necessarily be the avoidance of putting one's hands in one's mouth ... but merely a side-effect.

In my opinion, wearing a mask would, if anything, have a greater positive effect than negative effect. :shrug:

[havocmom]

11. Besides so much hand washing my skin is raw, I tend to wear light gloves

when out in public during flu season. Touching so many surfaces handled by so many is a big vector for spreading disease. With the gloves on, I can keep stuff outta cuts on my hands AND they serve to remind me NOT TO TOUCH MY FACE until I get home, get the gloves off and wash my paws!

I teach the youngsters in my care to wash hands as soon as they get in from being at school, library, so on. They really do learn and remember if we take the time to teach and explain it to them.

[hlthe2b]

12. good job, havocmom...

kids need to learn early on.

[Patsy Stone]

5. I'm hoping THIS will be the fashion statement this Fall.

[pacalo]

9. How about some jewelry to go with that...

[Patsy Stone]

10. Sweetie, darling! Excellent accessorizing! n/t

[sandrakae]

6. No but maybe all of us Democrats should get one.

All of us Democrats should get one to protect us from all the filth spewing from the Replublican Party. The last thing we need is to be infected by them.