Decorated swine flu surgical masks in Mexico

[MADem]

Some of these are very creative: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthpicturegalleries/5243655/Decorated-swine-flu-surgical-masks-in-Mexico.html

[Adelante]

1. Heh

That's Mexicans for you!

[havocmom]

3. Always love the capacity for gallows humor

I need to move back to where there is some Hispanic population. Life here in white-bread-land is boring and tastless. Need some diversity to make life worth while. Better music too.

[realisticphish]

2. Is the SS a problem in Mexico?

I like the jester one

[MADem]

15. I wondered that myself!

Perhaps it's a generic "police state" type reference....I dunno.

[dgibby]

4. Unfortunately, the masks are now useless for their intended purpose.

Creative, but useless.

[MADem]

7. I'd rather have someone sneezing at me wearing one, than not. NT

[drmeow]

12. Why are they now useless?

[MADem]

14. That is a theme running round this forum.

The truth is, they won't save you, but if you're in constant contact with the public, which might be infected, they may help.

How? If someone snot-sneezes at you, it may keep the shit away.

If you are infected and incubating, but not yet feeling sick, when you sneeze, you'll catch your crap and not send it out to infect others.

Masks are HELPFUL in some instances. They aren't "the answer."

People are demanding more of the masks than they can give, and that's on them--not the masks.

[drmeow]

16. What confused me

was that the post I was responding to implied that by coloring or drawing on them they became useless.

[MADem]

17. I didn't get that either! They don't have to be sterile--they just have to act as a barrier. nt

[mwb970]

5. Since they really don't protect people from the flu, they might as well be entertaining! /nt

[MercutioATC]

8. The CDC disagrees with you.

No, they're absolutely NOT 100% protection, but they're a layer of defense and they DO help.

[mwb970]

10. I've heard that the kind being used does little good.

Should you wear a mask?
(Charlotte Observer, May 1, 2009)

You've seen plenty of pictures on TV and in newspapers of people in Mexico wearing masks to protect themselves from catching swine flu.

But U.S. health officials say there's little evidence that masks protect healthy people from contracting viruses.

In fact, masks are more useful if worn by sick people – to prevent them from spreading the virus to healthy people.

Those who are advised to wear masks during a flu epidemic are health care workers and emergency responders who come in close contact with a lot of sick people. Other healthy people who might benefit by wearing masks are those who can't avoid going to crowded places.

But generally, “there's no evidence that wearing masks by well people in public prevents flu,” said N.C. health director Dr. Jeffrey Engel. “There is also a risk of doing it incorrectly and actually making matters worse.”

[MADem]

11. You're contagious before you start to feel shitty, see? It's POLITENESS

to wear a mask if you meet the public a lot in your line of work and have a risk of contracting the flu.

[lunatica]

6. A culture that can celebrate the Day of The Dead with macabre humor

knows how to live.

[Beacool]

9. Great masks.

It's always inspiring to see the resiliency of the human spirit. Even in the worst of times people find a sense of humor about life.

Some other interesting pics


A statue of Diana wearing a surgical mask in Acapulco


Precaution: Mexican Federal Police also sported masks which bringing in two suspected members of the Zetas, a Gulf cartel’s feared armed wing


Global crisis: Kindergarten children in Hong Kong wearing facemasks


Tender: A woman kisses a child through her mask at Sydney International Airport


Mexican mounted police officers stand guard wearing surgery masks at Alameda Square in Mexico

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Of course the sense of humor is something I laugh

Mexicans can and do laugh with each other and at each other

Hell, the day of the death tradition would horrify Americans

Buy a skull, made of sugar, with a good friend's name on it, and exchange skulls

:-)

And a joke circulating down there

Mexico is now a superpower, it sneezes the world trembles!

Yep, people should try this round these parts!