Face mask concern

northerngirl

Registered User
Aug 10, 2018
11
0
I have a Carer 3 times daily for my Alzheimer husband. The Carer does not wear a face mask I’m very worried about it due to the Coronavirus, how are others coping with this. The Carer wears an apron and rubber gloves and I’m also concerned if the gloves have been used previously, they look crumpled while he’s putting them on, I’ve asked him the question, he says they are unused so guess I have to take his word for it. Very unsettling! Take care all of you, keep safe.
 

occupied99

Registered User
Jan 3, 2020
177
0
I have a Carer 3 times daily for my Alzheimer husband. The Carer does not wear a face mask I’m very worried about it due to the Coronavirus, how are others coping with this. The Carer wears an apron and rubber gloves and I’m also concerned if the gloves have been used previously, they look crumpled while he’s putting them on, I’ve asked him the question, he says they are unused so guess I have to take his word for it. Very unsettling! Take care all of you, keep safe.
Hi I have spoken to social services and the care company and they say masks only need to be worn when a client is showing symtoms,I'm staying in and my mum is bedbound so I know that we are still not safe as we have carers visiting without masks so if mum does get symptoms it will be from carers unwittingly having coronovirus.
We are told to self distance even in supermarkets or in public by 2 meters but mum has 2 people at the side of the bed giving care,I believe even some supermarket staff are wearing masks behind screens now!
The gloves may look wrinkled but they do produce them out of their pockets and they will only be worn once.
I think the general public would assume vulnerable people would be protected by this in their own homes and I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned in press conferences
I'm even considering buying masks for them to wear but the prices have shot up and I never know how many new carers are going to appear or what the care company would think of this
 
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Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hi @northerngirl and @occupied99
I found with dad's carers that when they put on the gloves and apron at the start of each visit, they might have looked a bit crumpled but the carers were scrupulous in using new ones each visit and rolled them up and binned them into our kitchen bin, so any contamination was kept inside the glove/apron and it was clear the were single use

on the issue of the masks .... I was watching one of the news programmes this morning and this question came up
the expert (I think a GP) advised that masks are important in nursing those with the virus in hospital
however
the ones generally available are not effective ... they are rarely used/fitted properly so leak anyway, most will allow the virus through as it is so small, as soon as they are moist from breath they are ineffective .... a whole host of reasons (I may not have described what he said wholly accurately) and his explanation was convincing

so counter intuitive as it seems, the masks we see the average person wearing are not really helpful, except, I suppose, as a kind of comforter and signal that someone knows there's a risk
 

northerngirl

Registered User
Aug 10, 2018
11
0
hi @northerngirl and @occupied99
I found with dad's carers that when they put on the gloves and apron at the start of each visit, they might have looked a bit crumpled but the carers were scrupulous in using nea ones each visit and rolled them up and binned them into our kitchen bin, so any contamination was kept inside the glove/apron and it was clear the were single use

on the issue of the masks .... I was watching one of the news programmes this morning and this question came up
the expert (I think a GP) advised that masks are important in nursing those with the virus in hospital
however
the ones generally available are not effective ... they are rarely used/fitted properly so leak anyway, most will allow the virus through as it is so small, as soon as they are moist from breath they are ineffective .... a whole host of reasons (I may not have described what he said wholly accurately) and his explanation was convincing

so counter intuitive as it seems, the masks we see the average person wearing are not really helpful, except, I suppose as a kind of comforter and signal that someone knows there's a risk
 

northerngirl

Registered User
Aug 10, 2018
11
0
Thank you Shedrech, interesting about the masks! Also comforting your Carer bins their gloves when leaving, ours doesn’t! Will have to sort that out with the Carer for peace of mind. Keep well, keep safe.
 

northerngirl

Registered User
Aug 10, 2018
11
0
Hi I have spoken to social services and the care company and they say masks only need to be worn when a client is showing symtoms,I'm staying in and my mum is bedbound so I know that we are still not safe as we have carers visiting without masks so if mum does get symptoms it will be from carers unwittingly having coronovirus.
We are told to self distance even in supermarkets or in public by 2 meters but mum has 2 people at the side of the bed giving care,I believe even some supermarket staff are wearing masks behhind screens now!
The gloves may look wrinkled but they do produce them out of their pockets and they will only be worn once.
I think the general public would assume vulnerable people would be protected by this in their own homes and I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned in press conferences
I'm even considering buying masks for them to wear but the prices have shot up and I never know how many new carers are going to appear or what the care company would think of this
 

northerngirl

Registered User
Aug 10, 2018
11
0
Thank you occupied99, all very worrying, I too had It in mind to give our Carer a mask but wondered what the Carer and Company would think, however it seems masks aren’t totally protective anyway. Blessings, stay safe.
 

Palerider

Registered User
Aug 9, 2015
4,159
0
56
North West
There is a lot of confusion around the wearing of masks, which is only necessary if suspected or confirmed. I think @Shedrech has highlighted some important points about wearing masks. The most important thing is to wash your hands before and after tasks. Its doesn't take much to realise that people with no symptoms also spread this virus which can only be via their hands. If someone does have symptoms they should be in isolation as per the government and PHE advice and not exposing others, and if they don't have symptoms they should be taking correct hand washing procedures seriously.

Just to add to @Shedrech points. Masks used for the purposes of infection are specialised masks (FFP3) which filter particles at less than 1 micron in size, which means viral infections can't penetrate the mask. These masks are only used for aerosol generating procedures and not for general use. Masks must also fit properly and be 'fit tested' and beards must be shaven off. They should only be worn for the task being carried out and then removed (doffed) correctly and disposed of -followed by washing your hands. I think as said earlier if wearing a mask helps people feel safer then thats fine so long as people understand the differences and the reason why they are wearing one.

For anyone that wants to read further here is the link to the NHS England and NHS Improvement coronavirus web page, you can browse and find information you need about personal protective equipment (PPE) and general infection control measures in the community:
 

occupied99

Registered User
Jan 3, 2020
177
0
Thanks,my mother is downstairs though in a hospital bed so I would still have to use the kitchen and walk through that room if I isolate in my bedroom if she becomes ill,to be honest it wouldn't aurprise me if I end up having to feed my mum if she becomes ill,as I'm not convinced that her carers will want to continue visiting
 
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RosettaT

Registered User
Sep 9, 2018
866
0
Mid Lincs
My OH has a care visit twice a day. They do wear gloves & aprons and shoe covers. All are binned after each visit. I am his second carer, I also buy my own gloves etc for his prrsonal care.
I have thought long and hard about stopping the care visits and although I could manage for a day or 2 I know washing and dressing him alone would take it's toll on me. I do have a hoist I could revert too but having spent almost £3000 over the last 8 months on private physio to get him weight bearing & walking with a frame and help, I am bothered that using the hoist will undo all his hard work. Once on his feet he is steady and strong but it takes two of us to get him to his feet, thats the help I need along with rolling him.

I really don't know what to do for the best.
 

occupied99

Registered User
Jan 3, 2020
177
0
My OH has a care visit twice a day. They do wear gloves & aprons and shoe covers. All are binned after each visit. I am his second carer, I also buy my own gloves etc for his prrsonal care.
I have thought long and hard about stopping the care visits and although I could manage for a day or 2 I know washing and dressing him alone would take it's toll on me. I do have a hoist I could revert too but having spent almost £3000 over the last 8 months on private physio to get him weight bearing & walking with a frame and help, I am bothered that using the hoist will undo all his hard work. Once on his feet he is steady and strong but it takes two of us to get him to his feet, thats the help I need along with rolling him.

I really don't know what to do for the best.
It's awful isn't it,I would have cut the calls completely but my mum has to be rolled by 2 people
 

Buzzybee77

Registered User
Nov 27, 2018
23
0
I have reduced my Dad's personal care calls down to three mornings only a week from every day morning and evening. As I live with my Dad I can manage helping him have a flannel/dry wash with a soapy dry wipe or using the foam but can't manage him in the shower over the bath as he is over 6ft. The personal care agency are only using gloves, aprons and alcohol gel at the moment, I have emailed them to start using masks and shoe covers if they have them. It is a worry
 

occupied99

Registered User
Jan 3, 2020
177
0
I hope the care company gives the carers access to some of their stock of masks,I spent £70 last night on a mask(carers allowance gone for the week) that I hope I haven't got to use,I bought it to wear when feeding my mum if she is unlucky enough to get the virus,by that time I might have it anyway,who knows,I got aprons and gloves from the LA but no masks
 

Palerider

Registered User
Aug 9, 2015
4,159
0
56
North West
Going on the advice yesterday and the evidence from MIT, masks may seem to be of benefit more than first thought. It is important however to make sure they are used correctly to avoid further contamination of self and others. Here's the BBC report from yesterday:

Edited: Found one of the papers from MIT written in 2014:

Edited: And here is the updated version by the same author:
 
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occupied99

Registered User
Jan 3, 2020
177
0
Going on the advice yesterday and the evidence from MIT, masks may seem to be of benefit more than first thought. It is important however to make sure they are used correctly to avoid further contamination of self and others. Here's the BBC report from yesterday:

Edited: Found one of the papers from MIT written in 2014:

One of the carers did sneeze yesterday,and the room fell silent,she did catch it in her elbow but it does go to show what can happen considering carers don't know if they have the virus,I have to give the carer credit as it was the one that I have mentioned before that is the least on the ball of all the carers
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
Masks do not really help the wearer, they are there to protect them unwittingly infect others if they have a case of symptomless Covid-19, which is apparently more often than thought.
 

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