We're told to wear masks. How do we do it safely and properly?

@jerrynord Welcome to connect we aren't Dr,s but can help with all our conditions . As Far as wearing mask when you cough 0r sneeze those little droplet leave your mouth and if you have a virus you spread it to others . I wiould like to invite @ Colleen Young to this discussion she can answer this better then I can

@jerrynord There are two reasons to wear a mask -
First, as you may have heard, anyone, whether symptomatic or not, can have this virus and spread it through droplets from their nose and mouth to others. Not just through coughing or sneezing, which really spray it to to wider area, but simply by exhaling as well. Wearing the mask as recommended protects others.
Second, when it comes to getting infected, the total amount of virus exposure and where it lands on you are both factors. The corona viruses are known to be able to attach to mucus membranes and the lungs. It is possible to get a virus through your eyes however, they are a much smaller target than the entire respiratory system, and a significant number of droplets would have to get right into your eyes to infect you, so less risk of infection there. I suppose if someone sneezed right into your face there would be heightened risk of transmission through the eyes.
So the key reason behind personal protection (the mask) plus increased social distancing, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, rigorous hand washing, and keeping hands off the face is to limit the amount of the virus that gets into the body and thereby reduce the likelihood of infection.
As a side note, the reason there is such a furor about the lack of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care providers and other front line personnel is that the TOTAL VIRAL LOAD they face day after day is what is causing so many to become so ill. That is why it is so important to also protect workers like those in the grocery store by keeping a safe distance - to minimize their risk. And why it is important to insist that medical workers be protected with proper attire.
Sue

I thought this was interesting news to report.
The face masks we are told to wear in public, have some drawbacks.people have been getting dizzy, and even passed out wearing the mask.. Reason doctors are finding is because we normally breathe in oxygen, and exhale carbon dioxide. With the mask around our nose we are breathing in carbon dioxide, and not oxygen.
Interesting. Warned: DO NOT WEAR YOUR MASK WHEN DRIVING.
ITS A SITUATION OF YOU ARE DAMMED IF YOU DO, AND DAMMED IF YOU DONT.
the corona virus is serious stuff I don’t think anybody will rest easy until there is an antidote for this virus.
Stay safe

@funcountess You'll notice that I moved your post to this existing discussion called "We're told to wear masks. How do we do it safely and properly?"

Some people, especially people with compromised lung capacity, also find it difficult to breathe through some facemasks. I have not found the masks make me dizzy.

For me, the biggest concern is if people do not put on and take off masks properly. I'm particularly concerned when I see people driving between stores with the mask pulled down below their chin.

@funcountess, I have been reading/hearing reports of individuals having trouble wearing masks as well. I started using a scarf in my front yard and on walks and like many others report, finding it much more difficult to breathe for any length of time. Perhaps changing from silk or poly to cotton, if I can find or buy handmade, would prove easier?

The idea of exhaling the carbon dioxide into covering sounds like a reasonable explanation for the difficulties some of us with compromised breathing and lung issues are experiencing.

@funcountess- Good morning. Yes, you are right, there are drawbacks to wearing masks. But unlike medical professionals who are attending ill patients for many hours at a time, people should only be wearing them for a short period of time because we are supposed to be at home. You will only be damned if you don't wear a mask because you could contact COVID-1! There are a lot of posts and videos and podcasts on Connect about the correct way to wear a mask, directions on how to make one and how to wash them, and how to take them on or off. People who ignore these many examples are taking huge chances.
It is a myth that you are breathing in co2 and exhaling oxygen. To properly fit a mask to your face, it should first be covering both your mouth and your nose. This is definitely more uncomfortable than just covering one's mouth with the face mask because you are breathing back in some of the exhaled air. ... You MUST breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
https://cleanroomworld.com/blog/proper-way-to-breathe-using-a-face-mask/
I know that we aren't used to wearing masks and are uncomfortable wearing them. If you have had a problem with a mask, how have you solved it?

@merepreb, I really appreciate this cleanroomworld article and information. I knew I was exhaling carbon dioxide by breathing in and out through the nose. It will take some practice to learn to breathe out through the mouth for those brief periods when infrequent approach by or to others.

@merpreb Very good article but I don't see where it says you are not breathing in CO2, even when breathing correctly -- in through the nose, out through the mouth. If you are breathing in exhaled air, isn't that primarily CO2? I guess I'm just confused. 🤷🏻‍♂️
Thanks for any helpful elaboration.
JK

@contentandwell
https://www.quora.com/Does-wearing-a-mask-make-you-inhale-more-carbon-dioxide

Thank you, @merpreb That really is an interesting article. It's good to know that CO2 is not a problem.
For those of you who do not want to bother going to the link, here is what the article says:
"There is a myth that if u wear a mask, u breathe your own exhaled CO2. Firstly, the space between your face and the mask is 40-50mm. You breathe and exhale about 500ml of air with each breath. Frankly, the 8-10% air that u may RE-breathe with a mask without an exhale valve actually makes your lungs stronger - like a training mask, as seen in the movie Pink. Doctors actually recommend those masks that RE-circulate CO2 to high performing athletes for improved lung function."
The author is Richa Upadhyay, here are her credentials:
Studied at Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication
Lives in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
So frankly I am not sure what qualifies her to answer the question, but the answer does make sense. I would prefer to see something by someone who had better qualifications though.
JK