This post is about FFP2 masks which have been
made mandatory in the German state of Bavaria to wear in stores & surrounding areas, in public transport, in pharmacies & doctor's offices and in church. Community masks are still allowed in all the other places where mask-wearing has been mandatory so far (like in inner cities).
The greatest problems about these particular masks is the prizing and the fact that they provide an even higher breathing resistance than community and surgical masks. And a big bummer is that not even the vaccinated will be exempted from having to wear those masks, due to "unreliable data about possible infectiosity of vaccinated persons".
A picture of these masks is added as attachment, so everyone has an idea. The following information & suggestions of solutions regard Bavaria in particular, but it is also meant for the other German states and those areas in the world and professions where this kind of mask has been or will be made mandatory (in alignment with the pseudo-reality of COVID).
Since FFP2 masks are very pricey (between 1 and 5 €; even more expensive in pharmacies), they will be distributed for free to people who live on welfare and similar groups, and they will be sold at a reduced price to people who are more than 60 years of age and / or have some sort of chronical disease.
Fortunately, due to the expensive price, FFP2 masks have not been made mandatory in the other states of Germany (as of yet) - just for the reason that the government would need to finance them for people who can't afford them constantly. Thus, people have at least to wear the cheaper surgical masks in some of these places (like stores and public transport) where Bavarians have to wear FFP2 masks. The community mask (which has come in many colors, fabrics and shapes) has become a no-go there - which means people are being regulated a great deal more, as those masks left them at least kind of some sense of individuality in that department. And people will still have to finance the surgical masks continually from their own purse which means many will use them more than once, and then you also have to consider the waste which will be produced by usage of these masks.
In Bavaria, the reduced-priced FFP2 masks are supposed to be distributed via a voucher system that is run by health insurance agencies and the vouchers are being issued in pharmacies -
something that runs very slow, however.
Next to the cost factor and the organisation problems, the health issues in connection to those masks are of high concern to many. For example, consider the following reader's comment in the
Bavarian news outlet BR24 (translated with Deepl., as are the quotes following):
[...] The Robert Koch Institute writes with regard to the function of FFP2 masks: "When FFP2 masks are used as intended, an occupational health screening must be offered in advance in order to medically evaluate risks for the individual user arising from the increased breathing resistance. The protective effect of the FFP2 mask is only comprehensively guaranteed if it is worn continuously and tightly fitting (i.e., matching the facial physiognomy and finally on the skin, as evidenced by the FIT test). "When used by laypersons, self-protection beyond the effect of a correctly worn mouth-nose protection is not necessarily given. In the "Recommendations of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and the ad-hoc working group "Covid-19" of the Committee for Biological Agents (ABAS) on the use of protective masks in connection with SARS-CoV-2" FFP2 masks are not recommended for private use, the institute said.
And this comes from the Robert Koch Institute, which is being considered as one of the main authorities in health matters in (the public opinion) in Germany. Also, according to
this piece nearly all European manufacturers of FFP2 masks warn in their instruction leaflets that their products do not protect against viruses.
One guy filed a complaint with the police against the mandate to wear these particular masks in Bavaria (shared via
Telegram):
"Have been with my wife at our police station today to put criminal complaint for bodily harm against Markus Söder, because of mandatory wearing of the FFP2 masks from Monday on. Police was a little confused, first had to inform themselves and have first talked to their boss via phone. In the end, the complaint was recorded and will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department ["Kripo" being used as German short form]. One receives a certificate about the criminal complaint only against a fee (ridiculous), but the file reference [...] one can receive free of charge. Everyone should do this; if enough arrives at the Kripo, the office of the state attorney must be involved. {Maybe people can also file such a complaint together and directly to the state attorney - with adequate legal advise.}
Criminal complaint because of:
"FFP2 masks are particle filtering half masks and are subject to occupational health and safety regulations. The wearing of these masks is regulated by DGUV guidelines 112 - 190. The wearer must be trained to wear them by a supervisor. This must be documented in writing. Documentation obligation! The employer must offer the wearer an examination (G26). This examination is carried out by a company doctor, who must issue a positive certificate to the wearer stating that he is fit to wear such a mask."
Rules which are significant for the industrial safety are ignored wantonly and deliberately in this case! These rules apply to the private sector above all. Breathing with FFP2 masks is exhausting! There are other important reasons against the wide use of these masks: They present increased resistance to breathing because of the filter. The additional effort on the respiratory muscles is comparable to breathing through a straw and is associated with shortness of breath."
If anyone who is affected by this mandate right now considers filing a complaint, the
following information might be
helpful:
"The professional association to FFP-2, FFP 3 masks: These are classified as "respirator". Maximum wearing time between 75 and 120 minutes! Single use only! An FFP2 mask or higher can only be worn voluntarily, as an order to wear it can only be given after a medical examination. At least a state minister cannot order this arbitrarily. This dictator in the guise of a state minister is absolutely out of place for the health of the Bavarian population. Lawyers should now examine whether the latest order to wear these masks should not be classified as negligent bodily injury."
Also, the German Worker's Welfare Association (AWO) had
this to say about the use of FFP2 masks in its care homes:
"The Workers' Welfare Association (Awo) in the Westphalia district of North Rhine-Westphalia has warned its 60 nursing homes not to use FFP2 masks obtained from the German government. "These masks are completely unsuitable," said AWO district manager Uwe Hildebrandt and board member Serdar Yüksel (SPD).
At least 30,000 of these masks had already been delivered to Awo facilities, and tens of thousands were still in storage. Already from the packaging marking it is clear that they are not suitable for the medical range, so the welfare association. During an inspection by the testing company Dekra, for example, a strong inherent odor of the masks, an excessively high breathing resistance and leaks were noticed, it said.
"After initial research, we have doubts that the masks of this make even have Dekra approval," said an Awo spokesman. However, this is a prerequisite for putting the masks into circulation. Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had announced that around 290 million protective masks from federal stocks would be sent free of charge to all nursing homes and outpatient care services by Christmas.
In summary: These masks deprive people of even more oxygen, are a health hazard and don't help against viruses. They are not recommended for private use; and in industrial contexts people would have to be offered a medical examination to see if they can wear FFP2 masks. Yet Bavarian state minister Markus Söder does not offer it to those people on whom he enforces these masks.
Another way than the legal one would be the manipulation of these masks in such a way to make you breathe better again. A medical doctor posted
this on Telegram:
"Please spread maximum!
Thank you
Breathing difficulties under FFP2 mask? How to escape the soon threatening absurd fines and breathe freely despite FFP2 "muzzle"?
Simply stretch the very tightly fitting mask straps overnight over a small pot or similar with a diameter of about 15 cm. Afterwards, the mask sits so loosely that it can be bent open with the help of the nose clip to such an extent that 99% of the fresh breathing air can flow in unhindered around the nose.
-> When the FFP2 masks, according to the manufacturer's specifications,
do not protect against aerosols contaminated with viruses,
-> if the
rulers do not offer us a health test before obligating us to wear masks, as employers would be obligated to do under labor law,
+++ then we must at least protect our health and that of our children from the
difficult breathing caused by a mask contaminated with chemicals!"
And the room mate of a friend of mine suggested that it might be a good idea to wash these masks so they become loose and leaky, and it may then be easier to breathe.
Another way might be to cut out some layers, to remove the filtering which causes the breathing resistance.
Hope this helps in some way.
I would say they have a point. I mean, it's not like they're going to have a war - at least not in the way we know of one, as they did in the past.
