State of emergency Covid 19 (Part 3)

[Pennines]

If anyone finds a gas mask, which had been tucked away and forgotten -- whilst this mass de-cluttering is apparantly happening - please do let us know! (Or if you find anything else unusual and untouched for decades).

It will bring a bit of light relief to us all.

As has been said before -- thank goodness for Rootschat!

[Liz_in_Sussex]

  I'm sure everyone knows this - but as a former Primary History teacher, I had a couple of WW2 gas masks in my classroom store cupboard which we used when teaching that topic ... until a few years ago schools were asked to dispose of them and the caretaker appeared with a special double lined bag - the filter has asbestos in it which degrades (or something)  (I switched to teaching Maths - seemed safer!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27391955

Liz 

[Pennines]

Oh Liz -- I didn't know that they had asbestos in them! The things you learn on here - every day is a school day.

[Liz_in_Sussex]

I didn't know that they had asbestos in them!

Nor did I until we got an email telling us how to dispose of them - I was devastated that I had happily let children touch them - and kept them in the classroom all that time. 

Liz

[Musicman]

I’m faaar to young to remember gas masks but I’m told that my sisters was supposed to have looked like Mickey Mouse 

I had a 'Mickey Mouse' one - and it scared the bejabbers out of me! 

[Albufera32]

Unless the asbestos was exposed or crumbling (allowing dust to escape) there wouldn't be any harm to any of the kids touching the masks.

Obviously as they get older, the chance of asbestos dust escaping increases, hence the need to dispose of them once it became known.

The old heat proof mats we used under bunsen burners when I was at school were made with asbestos and of course we still had mercury thermometers then too - and used to play "blow football" with the mercury droplets when a thermometer broke.

[Roobarb]

They're just looking for sensationalism.

I'm in the 'danger' category. I'm 70 (just - I keep telling people I am not actually OVER 70 so am totally immune!!!!) and I have an 'underlying condition' (nothing to do with breathing difficulties). I now have another problem - I have to pick up a repeat prescription from the chemist in the same building as my doctor. You have to walk through the doc's waiting room to get to it. Plus, I shall have to go on a bus. I've looked on the doctor's website but not a mention of any special arrangements! I shall have to ring them but I'll be lucky if I get through before I reach 71 (if I ever do!).

I haven't seen an answer to this but please excuse if I've missed it.

I hope you got through to your doctor's Jill, most surgeries will send your prescription direct to the pharmacy, many of which will deliver to your home. My pharmacy started delivering to me a few years ago without my asking, it is convenient and probably better for them than having lots of potentially ill customers queuing in the shop.


As for all the stockpiling ..... words fail me. Luckily I already had plenty of tea bags and wine to keep me going anyway.   

[louisa maud]

Oh, dash, forgot the wine!!

Louisa Maud

[Erato]

Well, all you folks dragging out your old gas masks can say a word of thanks to my dad who was stationed in England during WWII as a technician in the US Army's CWS gas mask supply unit.