Wear masks in public says WHO, in update of COVID-19 advice

[rooster59]

Wear masks in public says WHO, in update of COVID-19 advice

By Kate Kelland

 

A woman wearing a protective face mask salutes as people hold a minute of silence during the last day of the official ten-day mourning of those who died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, Spain June 5, 2020. REUTERS/Sergio Perez

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) updated its guidance on Friday to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission of COVID-19 to help reduce the spread of the pandemic disease.

 

In its new guidance, prompted by evidence from studies conducted in recent weeks, the WHO stressed that face masks were only one of a range of tools that can reduce the risk of viral transmission, and should not give a false sense of protection.

 

"Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19," the WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a briefing.

 

The WHO's technical lead expert on COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said in a Reuters interview: "We are advising governments to encourage that the general public wear a mask. And we specify a fabric mask - that is, a non-medical mask.

 

"We have new research findings," she added. "We have evidence now that if this is done properly it can provide a barrier ... for potentially infectious droplets."

 

While some countries and U.S. states have recommended or mandated the wearing of face coverings in public, the WHO had previously said there was not enough evidence for or against the use of masks for healthy people in the wider community. It had always recommended that medical masks be worn by people who are sick and by those caring for them.

 

Britain has said masks will be compulsory for passengers on buses, trains, aircraft and ferries in England from June 15.

 

The U.N. agency's advice that all healthcare workers dealing with COVID-19 patients, or with suspected cases of the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, should wear medical masks remains the same, Van Kerkhove said.

 

But the advice has been broadened to recommend staff coming into contact with any patients or residents in clinics, hospitals, care homes and long-term residential facilities should also wear masks at all times, she said.

 

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Alex Richardson)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-06

 

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[zeamonkey]

Most people in Australia has never worn a mask. WHO, f#%k off with your scaremongering fear porn. 

[Bkk Brian]

Finally WHO acting on what so many countries have been implementing to help control the virus.

 

Dr Mike Ryan in the press briefing yesterday:

 

"WHO has been saying for months now that we will support countries implementing broader mask use as part of a comprehensive strategy. The primary use of masks at community level are as a source of control, in other words they are mainly aimed as preventing one person giving the disease to someone else where that person is the source. Its more about protecting others if you happen to be infected."

 

 

[BobBKK]

WHO are pathetic this train left the station months ago.

[Bender Rodriguez]

don't wear, wear, don't wear...

[Emdog]

Should be a no brainer to wear a mask. Even if effectiveness is only 40%, that is still 40% more than nothing. Problem is there are plenty of people with no brains.

Tired of whingers "It's uncomfortable"... "too hot under there"... "fogs my glasses". Humans haven't evolved to deal with invisible threats. Out of sight, out of their minds.

[Tug]

Well yes by all means plus distancing as few contacts as possible absolutely I for one along with my family will do our level best to follow all safety  protocols this isent over by a long shot the second wave will be devastating imo let’s hope they develop a viable treatment for it stay safe good health 

[Thailand]

Along with other procedures it seems to have worked here.

 

 

[Terrapin]

I heard from a very reliable source that wearing a face mask causes an itchy nose.

[phantomfiddler]

The whole system is ridiculous, impractical and doomed to fade away. Just avoid people who are coughing or sneezing, or exhibiting any other signs of illness, just like you always did, and you,re still here aren,t you ????

[Bkk Brian]

Here's the briefing yesterday where they discuss facemasks, starts at 36.09

 

 

[zeamonkey]

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Here's the briefing yesterday where they discuss facemasks, starts at 36.09

 

 

If you are this obsesses with a damm mask, then you are part off the scaremongering problem that works so well on subdued asian populations.

 

EU is opening all internal borders in a few weeks, even after having deaths in the 1000s. They know they cant fool westerners with this covid fear porn you seem so addicted to. Get help.

 

Yes im leaving Thailand with no plans to return.

[Bkk Brian]

29 minutes ago, zeamonkey said:

 

Yes im leaving Thailand with no plans to return.

Ok, where you going?

Edited June 6, 2020 by Bkk Brian

[Thaiwrath]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

"Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19," the WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a briefing.

The only safe thing for people so scared here is to stay home.

Let other people get on with their life and let's get back to normal normal.

[CGW]

"IF" these masks, contrary to what many state - do indeed prevent the spread of disease and are not just for "control" where are all the bio-hazard bins for disposal? 

When the fear mongering gets to stage 23 or however long they decide to carry it on will they be blaming it on the incorrect disposal of contaminated masks and gloves, surely we should be changing clothes and masks daily and burning them to prevent reinfection! ????

[Syduan]

5 hours ago, zeamonkey said:

Most people in Australia has never worn a mask. WHO, f#%k off with your scaremongering fear porn. 

Well said, the media press is far more dangerous than the so called virus. I wish people would wake up and see this scam for what it is.

[Bkk Brian]

41 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

The only safe thing for people so scared here is to stay home.

Let other people get on with their life and let's get back to normal normal.

Whats there to be scared about, I went to villa mart this morning, put my mask on when I got out of the car and entered the shop, took it off when I got back in the car. Total 20 mins, now I'm at home with my daughter enjoying a quiet Sunday. Nothing scary at all.

[nauseus]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

The whole system is ridiculous, impractical and doomed to fade away. Just avoid people who are coughing or sneezing, or exhibiting any other signs of illness, just like you always did, and you,re still here aren,t you ????

What system?

[Kadilo]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Whats there to be scared about, I went to villa mart this morning, put my mask on when I got out of the car and entered the shop, took it off when I got back in the car. Total 20 mins, now I'm at home with my daughter enjoying a quiet Sunday. Nothing scary at all.

Ahhh but where have you that festering infection ridden mask? It’s probably sitting there waiting to attack the next passer by. ????

[nauseus]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Whats there to be scared about, I went to villa mart this morning, put my mask on when I got out of the car and entered the shop, took it off when I got back in the car. Total 20 mins, now I'm at home with my daughter enjoying a quiet Sunday. Nothing scary at all.

Er....hope you enjoy your safe Sunday! 

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Ahhh but where have you that festering infection ridden mask? It’s probably sitting there waiting to attack the next passer by. ????

Ahhh but if your that scared of masks infecting you then I hope you never have to enter a hospital again, those pesky health workers all wear those festering ridden things

[nauseus]

6 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

Ahhh but where have you that festering infection ridden mask? It’s probably sitting there waiting to attack the next passer by. ????

Sounds like it's wearing its own mask! Stand and deliver! 

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Er....hope you enjoy your safe Sunday! 

Not that safe, just played five nights at freddy's with her 

[nauseus]

2 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Not that safe, just played five nights at freddy's with her 

pssst....  it's Saturday m8!

[spiekerjozef]

a bit late after 5 months is it?

[nauseus]

Anyway, this announcement just shows up the wishy-washy management that the WHO has these days.

 

Dither and delay on crucial decisions then most governments just follow suit. 

Edited June 6, 2020 by nauseus

[Bkk Brian]

10 minutes ago, nauseus said:

pssst....  it's Saturday m8!

???? indeed! no school (online) and raining here feels, like a Sunday back in the UK

Edited June 6, 2020 by Bkk Brian

[Kinnock]

13 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Anyway, this announcement just shows up the wishy-washy management that the WHO has these days.

 

Dither and delay on crucial decisions then most governments just follow suit. 

Yes - I've been lucky to avoid COVID so far, but these WHO briefings make me sick.

 

Defensive political waffle.

 

Non-Doctor Tedros making 'heartfelt' speeches about heroic WHO health workers avoiding bullets in war zones to try to keep his gravy train running, and on the latest one - stressing there's been new research into masks to cover up their late change of approach to mask use.  

 

[newnative]

    Duh!  What took them so long?  Totally brainless.  Why in the world would masks be useful for medical personnel in preventing the spread of infection and not useful for the rest of us?  Sort of like saying, if you are a race car driver, use a seatbelt for your safety because you drive fast but if you are just a regular driver, don't bother, you'll be ok if you have an accident.    

[esclub]

2 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Whats there to be scared about, I went to villa mart this morning, put my mask on when I got out of the car and entered the shop, took it off when I got back in the car. Total 20 mins, now I'm at home with my daughter enjoying a quiet Sunday. Nothing scary at all.

Is your car a Delorian by any chance as you would have appeared to leap forward in to the future...