Originally Posted by doctoravios

I have to say I do not agree with the ID/global health experts on this. If I were a healthcare policy maker right now I would be investing in ventilators and portable oxygen concentrators, not masks.

The fact is that wearing a mask is a user-dependent intervention. If it isn't performed properly then it is at best of limited effectiveness and at worst potentially harmful. Just like when we ended up stockpiling tamiflu for influenza, I think we are overly preoccupied with masks and hand sanitiser (and toilet paper!) right now and need to think about the bigger picture. I think some of the infection control experts are failing to see the wood for the trees.

Similarly, I am beginning to question how effective it is to tell everyone to wash their hands more. To be honest I don't see people have really changed their behaviour and constantly telling people to wash their hands won't make it happen. And if we can't get people to wash their hands what hope do we have of getting them to wear masks properly?

Instead, I think we really need to focus on a shift in mindset related to social contacts and exposure risk reduction - i.e. rather than measures to reduce risk of infection upon exposure, we should instead focus on reducing exposure in the first place. People should be actively considering how to reduce unnecessary human contact for the next year or so.

Is it absolutely necessary to take your unruly children to visit their grandparents every weekend? Could you not facetime them instead? It's not the end of the world if they can't get to see their grand children face to face and better than dying from pneumonia.

Do you really have to eat that packet of crisps (chips) right now? Could you not wait wait until you get home and then thoroughly wash your hands before eating them? Or better still, why not just not eat food which requires direct contact with your fingers?

Is it absolutely necessary to use that public toilet? Could you not wait 20 minutes until you get back to your place of work/home instead? And if you do, is it absolutely necessary to touch the door/tap handles with the pulps of your fingers? Could you use the back of your hand/elbow instead?

Do we really need to gather the entire extended family for Friday Night Dinner? Is it really necessary for the Catholic church to be celebrating Eucharist? Could worshippers not practise by intinction instead or perhaps just not at all for the time being? I'm sure Christ would have understood the situation.