Protective face masks

[no_hypocrisy]

I don't get it. I work in a grocery emporium. We wear gloves for protection.

Yesterday I noticed that many of our customers were wearing face masks, which made me consider:

1) Where did they get them if supposedly there's scarce supply of them,

2) While I appreciate the masks protect me and my coworkers, why wouldn't you donate any masks to your EMT, your police, and/or your local hospital?

[janterry]

1. If I had one, I'd keep it

If I had a hundred, I'd donate them.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. It's an ethical dilemma whether to save yourself or save a doctor.

When there aren't enough doctors during and after the Virus, there absence will be more than palpable.

[janterry]

3. Here's the data

One government study from 2015, though, estimated that 1.7 billion to 3.5 billion such masks would be needed in a pandemic—and that was in its most optimistic scenario.

eta: I do understand your thinking. But if you just look at the tip of the iceberg, you might be missing other ethical scenarios.

As for me, I'm going to try to make a few cloth ones. Better than nothing.

[Luz]

5. I've made about 20 temp masks from paper towels, and

I'm making 3-4 from cloth. I figure those I can wash and reuse. Anything is better than nothing at all.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I found 2 while packing up my household belongings to move. I

have no idea how old they are or why I had them. I did have pleurisy about 20 years ago.