In a new study published today, it seems that some parts of the UK are keener to wear face mask than others. The research published by the N95 Mask Company reveals that people in Durham are most likely to wear a face mask while people in some other heavily-populated areas still need convincing.
The cities ranked highest when it came to their intention to wear masks were London, Durham and Newcastle. Whereas Leicester, Dudley and Wrexham had the lowest rates for people intending to wear masks. Given that the North-West of England has recently been shown as a ‘hot-spot’ for COVID-19 cases, it is shocking that more than half the people polled in Warrington stated they won’t wear a mask.
The map of the UK shows the regions that will be donning face masks and those that will not be entertaining the idea. Greater London (76%), North East England (68%) and Wales (61%) were the top areas for mask-wearing, with the South East (56%), East England (52%) and the East Midlands (50%) ranking lowest in terms of their mask-wearing intentions.
Earlier this week 14 top scientists from the prestigious Royal Society put an end to the mask debate, confirming, based on scientific evidence, that face masks are an important tool for fighting the coronavirus.[1] Face masks are already central to the lockdown exit strategies of many countries where wearing face masks is now mandatory in public. However, the UK Government is yet to set rules on mask-wearing.
In the survey of 2,000 UK adults, three in five adults said they would wear a mask (61%) in public to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and, reassuringly, 95 per cent would wear one if they presented coronavirus symptoms.
Top five towns and cities embracing face masks are:
- Durham = 78% will wear
- London = 75% will wear
- Newcastle upon Tyne = 76% will wear
- Dundee = 74% will wear
- Derry = 71% will wear
Top five towns and cities avoiding face masks are:
- Leicester = 68% won’t wear
- Dudley = 60% won’t wear
- Wrexham = 56% won’t wear
- Southampton = 55% won’t wear
- Warrington = 54% won’t wear
NHS GP and Clinical Advisor to The N95 Mask Company, Dr Gero Baiarda comments on the findings: “It’s concerning that so many people are actively choosing not to wear any face-covering at all to protect themselves and others, despite the latest government advice being that covering the face could play an important part in the fight against the further spread of Covid-19.
I suspect the widespread use of masks by the public will be integral to the gradual easing of UK lockdown restrictions as they have been in other countries globally.
“It is without a doubt that there are a number of physical and psychological barriers to wearing masks, but these must be put aside in the interest of our health.
My advice to everyone is to wear a face mask whenever you might come into close proximity with other people outside of your own home – this could be in an open or closed space. If you find yourself having to consciously maintain a two-metre distance, you should be wearing a mask.
“When choosing a mask, it is important to ensure there is a tight seal with no gaps as this will maximise the protection it provides.”
Ayrton Campbell, Founder of The N95 Mask Company, said on the current PPE crisis in the UK: “Our ambition is to ensure everyone in the UK has access to a steady supply of effective face masks. We have offered our entire stock and supply infrastructure support to the NHS, and should they decide to accept at any point, we will revert to supplying the NHS as a priority.”
To promote a steady supply of effective face masks for everyone in the UK, and to discourage stockpiling, The N95 Mask Company offers a 10 per cent discount to customers who subscribe to receive a regular, guaranteed delivery of face masks.
The company promotes an ‘active pricing pledge’, meaning they will pass on the savings to subscribed customers if they are able to source the product at a lower price.
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