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Wearing face masks

  • 08-05-2011 07:12AM
    #1
    just-joe
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 679 ✭✭✭


    Hey all, I was wondering if you guys who know a lot more than me could answer a question/give some thoughts on the following topic.

    At the moment, I live in Japan and there is a very large culture (if thats what you call it?) of wearing face masks. Some people wear them so as to protect from others' germs, or to avoid pollen; but the main reason is apprently to protect other people from your own germs when you are sick. If you are sniffling or coughing then everyone else expects you to pop a mask on.

    I have been wondering whether this has any effect at all in stopping the spread of germs. Has there been any studies about this? (I tried googling and couldn't really find anything, most of the results when you type face mask are halloween related).

    From what I can see so far there are as many people with colds in Japan as Ireland so it seems as if they are fairly useless. Also, it is a bit hypocritical as many Japanese people put masks on, but then sneeze loudly and all over the place instead of into a tissue/elbow or whatever. Lastly, they use the same mask all day, taking it on and off multiple times, which I guess would nullify its use.

    Any opinions/answers appreciated. Cheers!


Comments

  • #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,505 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    just-joe wrote: »
    Any opinions/answers appreciated. Cheers!

    Well this is an opinion rather than an answer, but it should probably be taken into account that Japan has a far higher population density than Ireland. According to wikipedia, Ireland had 60.3 people/square km in 2006, and Japan had 336 people/square km in 2000, which would have grown by 2006. So for us to have similar amounts of colds/flu occurrences would actually shine pretty well on facemask use.

    I looked it up and there are studies done, but I don't have access to them.


  • #3
    davearthurs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭davearthurs


    Seems to be perceived good etiquette to those around you from what I have read but like you say sneezing into your armit and using tissues would be more beneficial I would imagine, unless you had quite expensive masks and were cleaning them and swapping them a lot. Even wearing gloves, to avoid touching surfaces and then to face.
    A lot of it is a general fear of catching things - part of living in a big city I'd imagine, and also a bit of hiding from view and creating a mini private space.


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