Aunty
Masks are useful. If you don’t have a mask, cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or, well, anything. Consider eye protection – glasses, sunglasses or goggles when in public areas.
We’re receiving conflicting information about masks here in New Zealand.
In a Stuff article dated February 13th, a Ministry of Health spokeswoman is quoted stating there is “limited evidence” of the effectiveness of face masks, despite the WHO conditionally recommending using them during pandemics.
Our government has also repeatedly stated that masks are not necessary or useful.
On a personal note, I’ve spoken with government workers and teachers who were told that they were not allowed to wear a mask for their own safety. One government worker I know was told to take their mask off while at work because it looked bad – this week, just one day before the lockdown.
WHAT’S THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR MASK SUPPLY?
In this article on Voxy dated 27th March, Dr David Clark (NOTE: Not a medical doctor. See here) states, “We currently have more than 18 million masks in the national reserve held by the Ministry of Health and another 5.1 million held across DHBs, with more on order from local and overseas manufacturers.”
When you do the maths, that works out to 4.6 masks per New Zealander. If Clark is telling the truth.
Well, that sounds like enough, doesn’t it? you ask.
Well, no, is the answer. At most, a common surgical mask will last a few hours and should be changed when moist, and the N-95 masks should be changed if they are damaged in any way, although they can be re-used. A friend of mine who works in a prison with high-risk prisoners said he is required to change his mask every 5 minutes as routine because beyond that time frame it is moist and ineffective.
On that basis, we have enough masks for every New Zealander for… 25 minutes.
Time to start holding your breath!
One of the biggest issues with obtaining masks in New Zealand is that most of the stock is…you guessed it…Made in China.
I think we need to seriously reconsider sourcing life-saving equipment and medications! – overseas, as supply chains can falter in emergencies.
BUT DO WE NEED MASKS AT ALL?
It is my belief that our Government told us we didn’t need masks because they didn’t have masks for us. There were none available when the panic started to set in.
So, rather than tell us yes, masks are actually useful, our Government told us no, we don’t need them.
WHY I THINK WE NEED MASKS
The WHO says we need masks only in certain circumstances.
However, we know that asymptomatic people can spread this disease. So even people who appear perfectly well can make you sick if they are carrying the disease.
In other words, the WHO video is incorrect. Just because a person appears healthy doesn’t mean they are safe to be in contact with. Otherwise, why would we all be in lockdown if you could tell who has the virus by outward symptoms?
That’s been the whole bugger with this virus all along. You’re passing it on before you even know you have it. We’re behind the eight ball because we can’t see who has it and who is transmitting it. So we cannot make any assertions about safety based on symptoms.
Our Government – and the WHO – don’t seem to be able to understand this simple fact. You get sick AFTER you’ve passed it on!
We also know that the virus can live in the air for up to 3 hours. A mask – and eye protection – can help reduce the risk of you contracting the virus by breathing it in.
For these reasons, I think wearing a mask is sensible. If you don’t have a mask, even covering your mouth and nose with a scarf is probably better than nothing.
Overall, the NZ Government has been unclear on this issue. A clear statement that masks are useful and we should be using them would have been helpful from the very first.
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