Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

The jury is out on the benefit of wearing a mask but should they become mandatory where can one purchase these? Up until an hour or so ago we had one, but my wife managed to lose it from her bag while shopping. She either dropped it or it was half-inched. Why she took it out of the glove compartment to go into a shop and not bother wearing it, I'll never know. I was quite chuffed that I had found this mask among some DIY stuff in the garden shed, and as only one of us can go out at a time we would have always been legal, come what may, regardless of the effectiveness. I suppose they are quite easy to make - any suggestions please.

Mr Angry from Karsiyaka

I just use the masks from a diy shop i bought a packet last year and used one for sanding. So now using the rest for the virus. I know not much help when diy shops are closed but maybe people have some in the garage or shef.

Got ours from the pharmacy in Esentepe.

Thanks, I will try the pharmacy tomorrow morning if they are open. If not, Monday.

This may be obvious to some but if it helps someone vulnerable who isn't aware then it's worth saying, don't be lead into a false sense of security by relying on a basic dust mask for more than a few hours as most will be ineffective by then once removed from their sealed packet. Current MINIMUM NHS England requirements for effective viral and bacterial infection control are FFP3 Dust Control Mask (more commonly known as a face mask), or Full Face / Half Face Respirator with P3 Cartridge Filter. What you chose will be down to cost and environmental risk at the end of the day.

I posted this the other day in another thread but worth doing again I think. If you take the mask off there is a very high risk that you will touch the inside of it with your hands or gloves that could transfer the virus to the inside. So next time you wear it then it may well be infected. If you want to wear one then fine but please don't keep using the same one. They should be one time like the gloves.

Of course if it becomes a legal requirement to wear one then the Authorities will have to make them available in very large numbers and I can't see that happening.

https://www.aol.co.uk/living/2020/04/03 ... ised-to-c/

We got masks at Aysan's pharmacy today. She told us to put them in the oven (but didn't say what temperature) or use a hairdryer after use and that will kill any bugs on them and they can be re-used.

Washable masks from the Chemist in Catalkoy.

Wash at 60 degrees... If not possible then a soak in a mild bleach solutions and rinse in fresh water several times until bleach smell has gone should do... But I'd rather the hot wash.... I have the smell of bleach.

Make your own? I like the one made from a vacuum bag, we have some left over from long dead vacuum cleaners. I know, why?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ction.html

There are loads of places on the Web and Youtube showing how to make your own very simply. Spoke to someone this morning who made a couple yesterday from the material that "cotton" slings are made from. She admits she can't see sew at all and made a couple of mistakes but after a couple of hours she now has very presentable and far safer masks. She was supposed to have been able to make in 10 mins though!! One off, one in the wash.

meldy wrote: ↑

Fri 03 Apr 2020 8:00 pm

We got masks at Aysan's pharmacy today. She told us to put them in the oven (but didn't say what temperature) or use a hairdryer after use and that will kill any bugs on them and they can be re-used.

Aysen told me 70 degrees in the oven. I don't think we will risk cooking it!

Am I doing something wrong? Dont mind wearing a mask but my glasses steam up.

Make sure the top (adjustable) part of the mask (assuming you buy one) is under the edge of your glasses, not above. Its a bit of trial and error for glasses wearers.

Nope, it's a pain in the bum for glasses wearers - stop trying to sugar coat it - lol. It depends on where your frames lie as well, too close to the face and instant fog, too far away and I can't see anything. Then there is the varifocal problem with the mask under the lenses - good for distance but horrible for close up work like reading!

If this is all I have to moan about then it's a poor show, must look for something important to complain about I suppose - I know, the battery on my hand saw just went flat when I was halfway through cutting off a tree branch, there, that will do.

Oh, just thought of a better one - my new face masks (washable ones) have loops that fit over the ears - no thoughts at all for somebody who is half blind AND wears hearing aids - lol. That's enough for now - just practising being miserable for when I get to be really old - lol

Take care out there people and wear your gloves when out and a mask if you think it helps, remember right now that the mask is to protect other people from you and not the other way around so if you see somebody not wearing a mask just imagine that they are all carrying an axe and swinging it round their heads - keep away from them!!!!

...if you see somebody not wearing a mask just imagine that they are all carrying an axe and swinging it around their heads - keep away from them!!!!

Yep, that'll do it!

as it is adviced to wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, so, you could wash a mask also in a simple soap liquid.
alternatively (or additionally) heat up to 60 degrees in an oven for 5 minutes is sufficent, eg for non washable masks or "quickies".

it was said that wearing a mask gives you sort of a "wrong safety"... so, still try to keep the distance.

Hang about guys, is the adjustable nose bit made of plastic, if so sticking in an oven isn't going to do it much good. Alternatively if made of metal, then for heavens sake wait until it cools down before putting it on. !!!!

Someone somewhere said a virus is a few strands of DNA inside a ball of lipid. Now lipid is just fat. And soap disperses fat and the virus dies. Hence the emphasis on hand washing.

So why be afraid of something that a dose of Fairy liquid will eliminate?

Just keep washing!

You can google how to make a face mask out of kitchen roll & elastic bands, very easy .
Today there saying mandatory in some countries.
Also a scarf will do or a bandana .
There asking you dint buy the surgical masks as front line nurses need them , not sure that's the same here as that was on uk news but I guess if we can make masks at home it saves a trip out to buy a mask which is unnecessary if we make or make do at home .

I have been using a "Buff" and spraying it with lemon/plain cologne before putting it on and after taking it off, wash it everyday to get rid of the bugs and that seems to work well - as far as I know! Big advantage is my specs don't steam up like they do with the standard face mask! Got a couple of washable masks from the chemist today, seem ok but do leave gaps at the sides if you are really picky!

Suppose you would get the same results with a scarf or bandana and IMO, as they are to stop your virus being passed onto another person, anything you try is better than nothing.

They are really easy to make and there are a lot of youtube videos on how to make one in 10 minutes. Make a couple so one can go in the wash at 60 degrees.