Wearing a Mask

I wear a mask. I am careful.

But, the mask wearing I see is definitely dangerous.  Just having the mask near the face seems to work as "careful" to some people.

The mask is so loose at the top, I picture the coronavirus with its little spikes just floating down into the cavity of the mask. Maybe the virus revs up to get to a susceptible person. 

The mask does not fit close to the nose even though the metal strip is bent/tightened. Can these people not feel or see the mask fit?

Then, there are the people who do not have their nose covered at all. The mask fits over the mouth.

Some people have the mask firmly against the chin. No virus will ever get to the chin so the chin is safe.

I saw one man wearing his mask dangling on one ear. Some people have the mask around the neck. ???

I was astounded when I saw a youngish man and woman, 30s or young 40s, walk across the area in front of the store wearing gloves and mask. I was slowly coming in. As I got in, they both took off their masks and the woman shook her hair out. They took off their gloves, too. THEN, they got a buggy and pushed it away. Unbelievable!

Then, there is the cloth used for the mask. Actually, I believe the "experts" are at fault for a lot of this misinformation.

Bandanas are recommended for the fabric to construct masks. I was told the bandanas at Walmart were gone. People use them to wear like a cowboy. People are actually folding bandanas and making snug masks.

Fabric with a high thread count is recommended over and over again. Well, cheap bandanas are almost see-through and have a low thread count. Sheets with a high thread count are one of the things recommended, but I doubt people are purchasing 800-count sheets to cut into masks.

AND, the greatest mystery to me--quilting fabric is recommended. Have you seen quilting fabric? It is very thin, flimsy.  Well, the fabric I have seen at WM over the years that was for quilting was thin--see through. I even turned it down for napkins.

I do wear a surgical mask. I don't think it is necessarily better than homemade masks. I just am not quite desperate enough to use a needle and thread and sit on the sofa constructing a mask. When my machine is operational, like cabinet with head in it, I will make many masks. But. I do have a few of the surgical masks that were given to me one at a time in different doctor's offices. 

Yesterday, at Publix I saw a man and woman wearing homemade masks. The masks were not contoured in any way. His was about 4 inches wide and barely covered his nose and lower lip. Her mask was about 2 inches wide and did not cover anything but the tip of her nose and her lower lip. The people probably thought they were safe. There was a gap around nose. 

As for folding technique--I am horrified.  I saw one tutorial where the person folded the bandana to the middle from both sides, folded to middle again, and then folded it again to the middle. This made a very thick mask, except for....the middle where it was only one layer thick. 

Tommy just told me he saw the Surgeon General of the United States folding a mask with sides folded to middle over and over. 

Last but not least--I saw a produce worker with the nastiest mask I have ever seen. He is mentally challenged, and I did not want to say anything to him or the store. Maybe I should have?

Everyone is doing the best each can. Of this I am quite sure!  Each person thinks he or she is protected. I doubt anyone who decides to be safe and wear a mask goes out with something that will not provide protection from the coronavirus. 

Or, maybe not. We are under orders to wear a mask when in public in Alabama.  This is not enforced, of course.  

Do you see questionable masking?