It follows Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement yesterday that masks will be made mandatory on public transport — buses, planes, trains, ferries and taxis — under Covid-19 Alert Levels 2, 3 and 4 from Monday.
Council transport manager Garry Maloney said the ORC would use this week to work with its passengers and bus drivers to further understand what the implications of mandatory mask-wearing would be.
But people should be prepared.
"We would encourage people to take this week to ensure they have a face covering ready to go from next Monday."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it was harder for people to protect themselves and track close contacts on public transport.
"We know masks protect you."
Aucklanders should continue to wear masks when outside of their homes, and everyone taking public transport needed to take responsibly for wearing a face mask at Level 2 and above, she said.
Who would be liable if the rules were broken was still being worked through, but generally, it would fall on the individual to comply.
"If Covid can spread on a bus, and we know masks make a difference, let’s wear masks."
Director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said exemptions might be given if there was a medical reason for it, and further advice was being sought about masks for children.
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When was the last Southern case? That is the answer- there has been none for over 120-130 days. Why cut our oxygen supply by 15-20% using a mask? Because of Auckland? Let Auckland sort it out and leave us alone- maskless.
I think your oxygen supply is cut 15-20% every time you make a comment, Otagoldeas! You're views are, in general, extremely poorly informed - but this is one worth commenting on.
One of the most common themes in misleading posts surrounding the use of masks is that they limit the amount of oxygen getting into the body (hypoxia). Thin paper or cloth masks will not lead to hypoxia. Surgeons (including my brother) operate for hours wearing them. They don't get these problems.
The prolonged use of medical masks, when properly worn, does not cause CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency.
Similarly, there is no "re-breathing your exhaled CO2" (hypercapnia). If you're out of breath due to wearing a mask, it's probably due to lack of exercise!
Read encl: https://engineering.stanford.edu/magazine/article/covid-19-prompts-team-...
Maybe Stanford is wrong as well. I know when I wear one it causes headaches and dizziness.
There is absolutely no peer reviewed evidence supporting the proposition that masks make a single bit of difference.
Viruses are so small they travel between the fibres of any mask easily.
They won't restrict your oxygen, and they certainly won't restrict the passage of a virus.
And before you ask - yes, I am a scientist.
The whole mask issue is confusing. Most research has been in clinical settings and don't really fit with use in public. Our Professor of homeopathic epidemiology (M Baker) has pushed hard for them but with no supporting evidence. There is a logic that they may reduce the wearer passing infection on but they certainly are not a panacea. Most masks I have seen in public are not worn properly, people are always fiddling with them and so they could also be a good way of spreading the virus. Seems like another good reason for maintaining distance, hand washing and not using public transport.
David is correct in that there have been comparatively few studies about the efficacy of mask wearing for the general public, but the main purpose is to prevent the wearer from spreading respiratory droplets as it acts as a physical barrier. It lowers the risk of passing an infection that way, which is why surgeons wear them when they operate on you! This obviously requires a group effort to be effective in the community, and as the commentary for the ODT sadly shows us, you can't trust everyone to do the right thing. Not even on the chance that it might help other people stay well. And as for a lack of oxygen - what absolute rot. The percentages quoted only refer to the N95 masks that most people do not have, not to mention that air moleclues are minute compared to the mask materials.
I would suggest that the real problem here is that of the 4 year old child - selfishness combined with petulence at being asked to do something you simply dont want to do!