Covid-19 and Face Shields

~ beetleypete

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed that many people are now wearing face shields in shops, instead of a mask.

Like these.

Look at the gap. Both under her chin, and at the sides, these shields allow any infection to spread easily as the wearer is breathing, coughing, or sneezing. In short, they do nothing to protect anyone.

Face shields are meant to be used as an additional safety measure, in conjunction with a proper mask.

Like this.

So to all of you who are only wearing a face shield on its own, stop doing it. It will not properly protect you, or anyone you come into contact with.

60 thoughts on “Covid-19 and Face Shields”

  4. My doctors wear a mask and a shield. Otherwise I haven’t seen regular people wearing just a shield. I had read long ago that they didn’t work. Here, as you see, we continue to “lead the world.” Too bad it is in covid instead of in something to be proud of.

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  6. It’s become total lunacy in our parts. The face shields aren’t as prevalent, but the rules are just stupid. Many eating places don’t open the restrooms to customers. But you can remove the mask once you are seated. Apparently we have highly trained viruses that don’ttt invade other tables or booths. However, they aren’t house-trained, as they are the only ones allowed to use the restroom.

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  7. I have seen these around with hardly anyone wearing a mask too, though my hairdresser does. And all the staff at the restaurant we visited on Friday wore masks. They do prevent conversation though. I struggle to hear anybody now! And they are so hot to wear, 20 minutes around the supermarket and I am done!

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    1. We ate out last night in Norwich. We had to wear a mask on entering, have our temperature taken, our contact details checked, and use hand sanitiser before going to the table. Whenever we left our seat, to use the toilet for example, we had to put the mask back on. Every other table was unoccupied, for our ‘safety’.
      But all the staff were wearing face shields with no masks, so it was completely pointless.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. Only our 3rd meal out since March and tbh I can do without all the rigmarole. The OH fell down the steps too as his glasses steamed up on entry, luckily I managed to stop him landing on the floor! That’s all we need. Being in hospital with a broken hip!

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  8. Sigh…All of the above unless you live here and both are required…Non-compliance has meant everywhere in the world has increasing figures again… It’s just like a merry go round…but without the merry…x

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    1. Without a mask underneath, they are still as good as useless for protecting anyone from contracting Covid-19, Lara. They are designed to be used as ‘splash guards’ to protect the eyes and skin of the wearer during surgical and ER procedures. They were also widely used by dentists and lab research workers, for much the same reason.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  12. These are for “splatter” during operations – not designed for anything else.

    Some people try to make a buck on anything – and the frightened, the ignorant and the uninformed are easy marks.

    Shields however do offer some protection for the eye if one does not wear goggles (as recommended for docs/medical staff) or even glasses (Which offer marginal protection). The virus can and does enter the body through eyes.

    Tight fitting properly worn properly constructed masks should be worn under the shield if one is attempting to block COVID entering your own body in a risky situation.

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  13. It makes me so darn cross … I was at Heathrow a few weeks ago and counted four people walking around not wearing their mask properly, the awful thing being that they actually worked at Heathrow. As for everyone else, of course if you have a drink or are eating you don’t need to wear a mask, hence a lot of people drinking coffee; never seen so many actually. I got so cross at one point with one family group of husband, wife, elderly relative and small child in a pram walking through the airport none of whom had a mask on, I asked them to put them on … and was laughed at. I tried again, they laughed again and just carried on walking, totally ignoring me.

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  14. My wife wears both at work. They have a “Covid Cop” who monitors the entire staff: they must have a clear test before they can enter, they cannot get within six feet of each other, and they must have face masks and shield…for those who don’t think it’s important, you must not live in the US, where the death toll is nearing 3,000 people EACH AND EVERY DAY.

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    1. We went to a restaurant tonight. Diners were required to wear masks until they sat to eat, and anytime they left the tables. We had our temperature checked, and had to use hand sanitiser. But all the staff were wearing face shields, with no masks. Pointless!
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  16. As so often when I read your posts, my response is “agreed”/”exactly”. Every day when I go out, I am more concerned about getting riled by the attitude of Other People than by contracting the virus itself. The Covid plague experience has not united communities, alas – not economically, socially or idealogically.

    I still hear people saying “It’s their job” about NHS nurses and doctors whose lives have been cut short by public selfishness and stupidity (“in my opinion”).

    It’s complicated. I feel for local small businesses, I would support them in any way I could, but as one of the twilight zone self-employed, I can’t afford to go to a bar or a hairdresser even if I was confident of their safety precautions.

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    1. I have also experienced some of that ‘division’ in society. Much of it seems to stem from those same people who consider themselves to be ‘entitled’ to do as they please in any situation.
      Take care, dear Pippa.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  17. The more people resist common sense measures, the longer we will be in a dire situation. I see these face shield more and more now. It is common sense that there is no protection or prevention of the virus by wearing these alone. I try to steer clear of these people in stores. If they are that careless in public can you imagine their personal practices?

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    1. It should be made compulsory to wear a mask, not just a face shield. People wearing those alone should be treated as if they are not wearing a mask, instead of being ‘tolerated’.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  20. Even worse are the ones who wear them tipped right back, like a hat.

    I was behind someone in a shop today, who wore no face covering, coughed into his hand, and continued picking stuff up and putting it back.

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  22. Very common over here in shops and on public transport, not sure what the law is as it stipulate a ‘face covering’ so I guess this is fine in the eyes of the law.
    I have to admit that now Gosias sister has had it, along with her parents who live in the same house as the sister, plus a good chance Gosia has suffered as she lost her sense of smell for more than 2 weeks, I beginning to think that we must have all had it, just at varying degrees.
    Of course I still war a mask in public, but my fear level is pretty much zero now.
    Having heard stories of a local guy that called three times for an ambulance over a period of a few days, and told to wait it out, and then subsequently died, I have little faith that the overrun health service can cope anymore.

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      1. Thanks very much. First we had the ‘anti-maskers’ here, and now a growing army of ‘anti-vaxers’, refusing to have any vaccine injections. I wonder at times if the world is going mad.
        Best wishes, Pete.

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  23. Face shields won’t protect you, it should be with a face mask first. I’ve been wearing face mask for the past eleven years but now I have to wear face shield too, it is also required in every establishment here.

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