WHO Updates Guidance on Mask. Should Australia Follow?

THL on 06/06/2020 - 23:07
Last edited 07/06/2020 - 11:07

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52945210?fbclid=IwAR3Z4MEx0M…

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its advice on face masks, saying they should be worn in public where social distancing is not possible to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

This is in contrast with its previous advice, stating only medical face masks should be worn by people who are sick and by those caring for them.

Many other countries like Spain,USA and Taiwan have all made wearing masks mandatory either in public spaces or on public transport.

Question:Should Australian Government updates its guidance and make wearing masks/any face covering compulsory on public transport, airplanes or locations where there is community transmission and social distancing is impossible?

Poll Options expired

  • 114
    No - Keep it as it is.
  • 296
    Yes - Guidance should be updated.
Health & Beauty

Comments

  • c64 on 07/06/2020 - 10:39
    +13

    trump is just using WHO as an excuse to deflect attention from his own incompetence. he is in control of the country. if things go right he takes credit, if things go bad he blames others

    • netjock on 07/06/2020 - 12:29
      +2

      Turmp is everything wrong with people. Outsource prevention to face masks. If you go to crowded places and get frisky with strangers then blame face masks not working.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2020 - 10:43
    +14

    My take: there's a real cultural pushback against wearing masks in public. In western society if you wear a mask it means you're hiding something and not to be trusted. Asian countries don't have that stigma. So not only do we have to deal with misinformation coming from multiple sources. We also have the cultural and psychological side issues of how people are perceived when wearing a mask.

  • Snake 4 on 07/06/2020 - 11:05
    +9

    The three most useless organizations in the world.

    WHO.

    Amnesty International.

    The UN.

    • Forfiet on 07/06/2020 - 12:07
      +2

      Amnesty International: We call for a end of these disingenuous comments from Snake 4 too end! People must be heard and their inalienable rights as human beings be respected….

      UN: We hope that Snake 4 and all involved parties can come to a peaceful end to all hostilities…

      WHO: Who? Whoops… Snake 4 has acted quickly and decisively in addressing all ongoing concerns about this issue and we commend him in his efforts….(Oh, we where defending the other groups…whoops)

  • ozboygsl on 07/06/2020 - 11:10
    -7

    right. so you'd like to wear a mask which restricts oxygen and wont do anything to stop an infection? go ahead.

    • whooah1979 on 07/06/2020 - 11:48
      +1

      restricts oxygen

      Could you please explain how the masks are restricting O?

      • Forfiet on 07/06/2020 - 12:41

        Some find it harder to breathe, its possible some with respiratory problems can find it suffocating…

        PS: I find it restricting as an asthmatic, but still wear a mask…. My breathing can adjust in my case…

    • CalmLemons on 07/06/2020 - 21:46

      Masks restrict water droplets, consisting of thousands of water molecules. Oxygen is a gas. They are a different size.

      The idea of the mask is to catch up to 95% for N95 of the aerosol you produce when coughing.

      You never did chemistry at school right?

  • screensaver on 07/06/2020 - 12:28
    +1

    mine doesnt restrict oxygen, in fact it filters air and bad smells, gases, smoke etc. There are other respiritory hazards like dust also. I use disposable masks I also hope to not get the flu this year

    • Forfiet on 07/06/2020 - 12:42

      had the jab yet?

      • screensaver on 07/06/2020 - 14:03
        -1

        no my mask will stop the flu also painlessly

    • brendanm on 07/06/2020 - 12:47

      You should sell them pam.

      • screensaver on 07/06/2020 - 14:05
        +1

        I am keeping them for now. I have one flyer on a noticeboard only. I use them to stop the sun on my face when driving also, am finding more uses

  • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2020 - 13:07
    +7

    Given the availability of masks now, the choice should be personal.

    We are one of the lucky countries in the pandemic. For now.

    If you live in Syd / Melb or commute in public transport or live in high rise apartment, etc… where you are more likely to be in proximity with strangers, i would wear one.

    It was a totally new virus back in January and no one knew what it was capable of.

    Blaming WHO because the USA has created a propaganda (Pompeo.. we cheat we lie we steal), is not helping anyone but making the Trump administration with over 1.8m infected look good enough for re election.

  • Blue Cat on 07/06/2020 - 13:25
    +3

    Are they the same guys who told everyone "the virus doesn't transmit from-human-to-human"?
    Nah, yeah, nah.

  • screensaver on 07/06/2020 - 14:09
    -2

    By the way you do not have to be covered all the time. I can slip my mask down onto my chin and back up again

  • neonlight on 07/06/2020 - 14:10
    +1

    Six months too late. Already worn them since Jan

    • [Deactivated] on 08/06/2020 - 16:50
      +1

      Same. I will continue to for as long as I feel comfortable/safe.

  • Thatsgold on 07/06/2020 - 14:12

    WHO is owned by China and UN is owned by America…
    Both are a complete joke.
    Lies and propaganda is all you'll get from these organizations my dear friends.

    • yannyrjl on 08/06/2020 - 14:59

      UN is owned by America? Is that why Israel is the most condemned nation in the world?

  • imrichkid on 07/06/2020 - 14:31

    WHO? A group of bandits aren't they.

  • ass3ts on 07/06/2020 - 14:57

    Watch the video from The New England Journal of Medicine:
    https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2007800?query=TOC

  • Mudkip on 07/06/2020 - 15:00
    +26

    Doctor here. Yes this should have been the advice from the begininng. Wearing a mask significantly decreases the transmission of airborne vectors of disease.
    The issue is that its an extremely unfamiliar / foreign concept to western cultures. Ideally, anyone who's sick should be wearing one at anytime they are out in public - as is the case in many Asian countries such as Japan.

    Edit: From your computer it's easy to criticise a multinational organisation made up of thousands of people who've spent their lives diplomatically trying to improve public health whilst not treading on the toes of its members. It would be more constructive to consider the science behind wearing masks on its own merits rather than trying to second guess any ulterior motives of the WHO.

    • p1 ama on 07/06/2020 - 16:29
      +3

      From your computer it's easy to criticise a multinational organisation made up of thousands of people who've spent their lives diplomatically trying to improve public health whilst not treading on the toes of its members.

      I'm an academic economist, so I understand this very salient point. However, there is no such thing as being "truthful, but diplomatic". To be diplomatic means to be dishonest (or less than fully honest) when it is necessarily for political expedience.

      Case in point, Dr Bruce Aylward, a very senior director in the WHO who was embroiled in a scandal when he "disconnected" from an interview when the issue of Taiwan was brought up, awkwardly avoiding the issue and saying that Taiwan was a part of China. I have a lot of respect for Dr Aylward as an epidemiologist - I've looked at his publication record and there's no doubt that he's an incredibly successful academic. I don't doubt for a second that someone of his intellect did not do what he did purposefully and with reason.

      However, in trying to not tread on the toes of other countries, he's moved away from being a scientist to being a political actor, which is not what the WHO should be doing. To be clear, the question he was asked was purely a scientific one, which was how Taiwan had responded to COVID-19. That question can be answered without any reference to Taiwan's statehood.

      I don't believe that the WHO has bad ulterior motives, neither do I impugn the integrity of the people who work there. However, it's unquestionable that the WHO has been overly forgiving of China and has allowed their relationship with China to affect the things they do and say.

      • CalmLemons on 07/06/2020 - 21:48

        Well Trump did tell China to get more involved with international affairs as he wasn't going to be spending US money helping other countries anymore.

        Money always buys influence.

        Same as universities love international studenrs and charging foreign nations for that all-important research…..

        • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 22:43

          It depends on who you're paying really:
          https://www.who.int/images/default-source/default-album/top-…

          China doesn't give much money to the WHO comparatively, it's not even in the top 10 funders. It's much cheaper for China to buy spokespeople people than whole organisations.

          Pandemic preparation/response was not high on the WHO's priority list until this year.

    • yannyrjl on 08/06/2020 - 14:53

      where were you when the discussion below were had? Where people wrote long paragraphs outlined why wearing a Mask does more harm than good

      https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/525773

  • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2020 - 16:13
    +1

    No, you should be listening to people searching for knock-down price 3D printers here.

  • THL on 07/06/2020 - 17:05
    +7

    Few months back when it was suggested maybe we should all wear mask if possible, I remember everyone said to follow WHO's advice and only wear masks if you are sick or those caring for them. It won't help stop the virus.

    Now WHO has changed the advice to wear mask where there are community transmission or social distancing is impossible, and people now said WHO has no credibility, it's China's propaganda department and we shouldn't trust them.

    So….which is it?

    • phrank on 07/06/2020 - 17:30
      +7

      Unfortunately for some people, it's whichever argument backs up their personal point of view. Even if it conflicts with logic.

    • yannyrjl on 08/06/2020 - 15:03
      +5

      some people just believe any BS by so called "Experts" and ignores common sense. As they say, common sense ain't so common

  • Jugganautx on 07/06/2020 - 17:24
    +2

    I drove past the local adventure park today and saw atleast 50 kids playing on there with double the amount of parents standing around… some people think that just because the government opens some restrictions that everyone is hunky dory now.

    Seriously…

    • whooah1979 on 07/06/2020 - 17:25
      +1

      Social distancing doesn’t apply to school aged children. It also doesn’t apply to public protests.

      • yannyrjl on 08/06/2020 - 14:53

        see, Rona-chan doesn't like to attend protests

    • lyl-Lychee on 09/06/2020 - 18:46
      +1

      Not to take away from you cause I agree, though you're in Adelaide so I feel(hope) your state has tentatively won and may claim victory like NZ (but I hope you guys don't open the border).
      The morons here in Sydney/Melb on the other hand are just demanding a another outbreak.

  • pandasrandomchoice on 07/06/2020 - 19:07
    -6

    Many people saying WHO is useless. However, think about this. In early days, how did Australia identify confirm cases? Australia never seens virus, Austrlia didnt have test kits. How can Australia tested the early cases that keep everyone safe?
    For Australia WHO was one of the key factors that keep the country safe, that is also why Australia didn't follow US to quit.
    The situation was becaming bad since March when many Euro and US travlers came in. The question should be why testing was done so bad in US.

  • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2020 - 19:31

    Yes, we should follow this advice. There's no harm in it. With winter comes cold and flu. 2020 has covid-19 in the mix.

    It would also remind everyone that the pandemic is still rampant and so they shouldn't be complacent.

    • whooah1979 on 08/06/2020 - 13:21

      No. We should’ve used face masks at the peak of infections in March and April. There is no need to waste money on mask now.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/06/2020 - 17:50
        +2

        I get your point but, at this stage, it's more a preventative measure especially after the mid-pandemic protests.

        Doesn't need to be n95, which should be reserved and prioritised for health staff.

  • screensaver on 07/06/2020 - 19:53
    +3

    I made my own decision. Based on not wanting to get the virus. Now I guess I will have to continue, added bonus should be avoiding the flu

  • antzz on 07/06/2020 - 21:54
    +8

    Never knew how many far right fringes on this site

  • xkcd12345 on 07/06/2020 - 22:20
    +5

    Putting WHO and China aside for a second here are the scientific facts as to why you ought to wear masks https://masks4all.co/. The page is run by an Australian expat.

  • Jumpup on 07/06/2020 - 23:05
    +1

    Only 6 months late

  • tightasian on 08/06/2020 - 00:10
    +1

    Most people don't even know what WHO is and started with Trump's claim. No wonder this is so called 52nd state of US.

  • zzzsianzzz on 08/06/2020 - 08:23

    reminds me of the qantas group medical officer Dr Russell Brown a few months back. here
    uk on masks now.
    trump is the person in his country not wearing mask. lol.
    u trusting scomo and his medical team?

    if you are in high risk, you should wear mask.

  • DiscoJango on 08/06/2020 - 10:20

    lol lets all listen to another politically corrupt organisation

  • WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot on 08/06/2020 - 12:46

    WHO Says only wear a mask if you are sick and need to leave your house.

    https://youtu.be/M4olt47pr_o

    https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2…

    Stay home and self-isolate even with minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever, until you recover. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house, wear a mask to avoid infecting others. Why? Avoiding contact with others will protect them from possible COVID-19 and other viruses.

  • dufflover on 08/06/2020 - 12:54
    +3

    I wear a mask anyway, but I stopped paying attention to the WHO and CHO acronyms for a while now after their joke advice over the pandemic.
    Listen to our mate Murphy now compared to some of the gems he said at the start …

  • yannyrjl on 08/06/2020 - 14:50
    +4

    I recall on this very forum there were people promoting not wearing masks and attacking those who suggested it. When people pointed out WHO's failure they were negged and attacked.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/525773

  • ihbh on 08/06/2020 - 18:41
    -1

    Chinese economy spiraling downwards. China leans on WHO to change guidance on wearing masks to stimulate demand for their products.

    No thanks China. /s

    We don't need it in Australia because there are too few cases and we are geographically dispersed.

  • peterpeterpumpkin on 08/06/2020 - 20:01
    +1

    Sorry I'm not getting it. Who has updated their advice on masks? Does anyone know?

    I'll neg myself. -1

  • Eeples on 08/06/2020 - 21:22

    The WHO guidelines would mean teachers and children in schools ought to be wearing masks.

  • Raj09 on 08/06/2020 - 22:20
    +1

    2020 has been so much fun. First the fires then the virus. Now the protests and racism… Wait for December. Ebola is making a comeback

  • Trioboy on 09/06/2020 - 08:42
    +3

    I used to wear a mask in public when things were a bit serious back in March - April, and I was told by every man and his dog that masks don't work, to a point it was getting annoying.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2020 - 08:50
      +1

      And people look at you like you have 2 heads. I just stare at them back now. If they want to judge me for wearing a mask to try and do my bit to stay safe that’s on them.

  • LukeS on 09/06/2020 - 08:45
    +10

    Remember - the primary purpose of the mask is not to protect you from infection from others, but to contain any droplets which you breathe out which could contain virons. That's right - you could have COVID and not know it. You might never know it, or you might start showing symptoms in a few days time.

    The mask is there to protect others, so if you wear a mask, you are working to protect me, my mother, my kids, my friends - I thank you.

    I'm not advocating wearing a mask every time you step out the front door. But if you are going to be in close quarters with alot of people, breathing recirculated air, like on public transport, then you're showing your concern for the safety and wellbeing of others by wearing a mask.

  • waletmoro on 09/06/2020 - 08:59

    I got dizzy and headache if I'm wearing mass, difficulty in breathing.

  • wjb on 09/06/2020 - 12:56
    +1

    Many in Australia are wearing masks incorrectly.

    I believe everyone wears one and it becomes common we can educate each other. Just like how the Government educates everyone 20 second-hand washing, social distancing etc. We never know if 2nd wave or the new virus will happen next.

    Wearing masks also give other advantages.
    My wife experiences hay fever symptoms and wearing a mask stops sneezing!

  • zealmax on 09/06/2020 - 13:43

    I am only half as ugly with a face mask that covers half of my face.

  • porsche26c on 09/06/2020 - 15:01
    +1

    No need to wear masks as we are not the USA/uk/spain/italy etc. The chance of getting it through aerosols is so low and its from contact spread. WHO themselves put a study out back in march or some time them saying this exact thing after examining transmission of 1000s of people.

    Stop pushing up the price of masks for people that need them like medical practices etc.

    • THL on 09/06/2020 - 15:58
      +1

      "The chance of getting it through aerosols is so low and its from contact spread" It's unknown how effective it can be spread by air but most studies have shown it is very contagious if social distancing is not followed. Here's WHO's words:

      "People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease spreads primarily from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which are expelled when a person with COVID-19 coughs, sneezes, or speaks. These droplets are relatively heavy, do not travel far and quickly sink to the ground. People can catch COVID-19 if they breathe in these droplets from a person infected with the virus. This is why it is important to stay at least 1 meter) away from others."

      If we can all practice social distancing of 1.5m, that'll solve most of the problem. But when travelling on public transport or airplanes where it's almost impossible to implement that, a use of mask may be a good solution since everyone will be cramped together like sardine (i.e. Sydney/Melbourne metro).

      Yes we have low number of active cases unlike UK/US/Spain/Italy but it still exists in the community and outbreak can still occur. All it takes is a confirmed case who's infectious to sneeze or cough in a peak hour train carriage and then hop on a plane from Sydney to Melbourne.

      You never know.

  • lyl-Lychee on 09/06/2020 - 18:36

    For what it's worth guys, Uniqlo plan to start selling reusable, washable masks, hopefully soon.
    That may a reasonable midway for those who don't want to exhaust disposable n95s, but still want something over nothing. (Plus Uniqlo always have nice wearable colours.)

    And there's been a lot said about the masks only helping if it covers the infectious and not the the person standing next to the infectious. People are outright calling it a placebo.
    But if you wear one, it's still a change to the direct flow of water droplets to your mucous membranes. Surely that amounts to more protection? Like, if someone splashed sewer water around, yes I'd want a mask on.

  • Mrgreenz on 09/06/2020 - 20:35

    The WHO has lost credibility IMO.

    They should be a organisation who's advive you should be able to follow blindly. They have proven that that is not the case anymore.

    Quite a shame

  • Jammar on 27/06/2020 - 11:52
    +1
    Merged from Mask Vs No Mask

    When are we going to learn wearing a mask helps reduce covid transmission.

    Western world need to follow and learn from their counterpart in the east who has been extremely successfull in controlling the spread.

    Wearing a mask doesn't mean you are bowing to the success of the east, but simply saving lives wherever you are on this globe.

    Do you still not have enough reserve of the mask after these many months?

    • capslock on 27/06/2020 - 11:56
      -1

      I might wear one if they were cheaper.

    • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 12:02
      -1

      Masks are such a drag

    • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 12:04
      +2

      Australia has been doing better than the eastern world and most of the western world in dealing with covid transmission, maybe take the propaganda elsewhere.

      Masks definitely have benefits but this just seems like a post designed to cause conflict. By all means there is benefit to wearing a mask If you’re sick even in non covid times, but it’s not a cure-all.

      The reason Australia has been among the most successful was banning travel from China where the virus was being spread rampantly despite masks and crushing attacks on civil liberties.

      Making this about East vs West is just silly. There are successes and failures in both.

      • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 12:10
        +1

        Pretty sure other countries banned flights from China as well…

        • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 12:19

          New Zealand for example….

          • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 12:35

            @[Deactivated]: And Italy

          • scotty on 27/06/2020 - 12:51

            @[Deactivated]: And the US, since Feb 2. Also note that Australia banned entry from China on Feb 1 and by the end of February there were only 25 confirmed cases, but then 4 months later we still have 7,600+ cases, majority from overseas travellers.

            In short, restriction on entry is good, but quarantines should be required. However I do not think the "success" can be solely attributed to banning travel from China.

            • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 14:13

              @scotty: Absolutely, people doing their part in social distancing has played a huge part. It's one of the situations where having a largely 'compliant' population is good.

              Hotel quarantine is definitely a good factor, though at the time we initially introduced travel restrictions it would have been impossible due to the volume of travellers, we had to rely on people self quarranting.

              Unfortunately the US didn't actually do a ban on flights from China on Feb 2. We were forcibly quarantining on Christmas Island actual Australian residents returning from Wuhan even. The reality is that flights from China into the US were never fully suspended. The proclamation you linked excludes Hong Kong and still lets US residents in without any quarantine.

              Cases from returning travellers in hotel quarantine really need to be recorded separately, they're 'almost' a non-issue. Community spread is the real problem, in some cases that can come down to luck either way. Testing also, we had very very high testing early, outstripping even NZ significantly per capita. The US bungled their testing extremely heavily so for them restrictions were more important.

              There's lots of factors, I oversimplified my previous post in response to a really oversimplified topic post. We're in no way immune from the virus taking off again with a bit of bad luck and carelessness.

    • ode1online on 27/06/2020 - 12:07
      +2

      I have no issue wearing a mask.

    • Gronk on 27/06/2020 - 12:34

      Computer says no, troll.

      • kahn on 27/06/2020 - 12:41
        +1

        When "officials" advise not to wear masks, it's so that healthcare workers don't run out of stock. It's a supply concern more than a health concern.

        • [Deactivated] on 27/06/2020 - 14:17

          It's kind of both.

          Technically proper wearing of a mask can very slightly reduce the risk of you contracting COVID (it can still enter through the eyes etc).
          It's much better at stopping you giving the virus to other people (your infected 'droplets' will not travel as far).

          A lot of people don't wear masks properly though and do actually increase their chances of infection, eg, people that pull the mask down and then up again, which essentially just smears any virus you've come in contact with into your mouth and nose…..

          When there is rampant community spread or if you feel sick it's definitely better to wear one than not, but otherwise it's not that clear cut.

          They definitely sent the wrong message in the US early though to try and reserve supply, now when they could most benefit from people using masks people don't believe them.

    • Mechz on 27/06/2020 - 12:36

      Sure if you can get me one that seals properly and doesn't fog my glasses 99% of the time.

      • [Deactivated] on 28/06/2020 - 09:23

        Watch on YouTube how to make the masks stop fogging. Works perfect for me.

    • Hithere on 27/06/2020 - 12:39
      +1

      Is this a new thread from hellopam2019?

    • Digitalco on 27/06/2020 - 12:57

      Well i would wear one if it doesn't fog up my glasses Australia should introduce wearing Mask in open spaces like places we can't social distancing i see people at the market wearing mask which is good

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