Why mask use is still not a good substitution for social distancing or washing your hands, an observation from essential grocery [thread]

I've been helping my parents at their store help customers by preparing their goods with them, so I get to see first hand how people are dealing with #COVIDー19, including their PPE choices and habits. We're making customers wear disposable food grade gloves in the store, and...

Use carts and other measures to maintain good social distancing within the store, so overall I think we and their company are doing a really good job. That being said, over the last few days, I've witnessed some truly troubling behaviours of people wearing some form or another...

Of face coverings while they shop. There are some doing it right (and have indicated to us they work in some sort of health field, so they're well versed on mask protocol and safe use), but others... Boy howdy. So far, I've witnessed the following:

Older man wearing his N95 sideways (strapped over his head, rather than around his ears). He removed it twice and when he came in it wasn't covering his nose. Touched face multiple times to adjust...

Older man wearing a painters mask around his mouth, not covering his nose, taking it off to talk. Touched face constantly...

Older woman wearing a surgical mask with gaps so big you could fit two fingers in the sides of her mask...

Older woman wearing some sort of home made cloth mask, taking it off constantly to talk, wiping nose with a handkerchief (ew), touching face constantly to adjust...

Security Guard at another store wearing gloves and a cotton bandana, touching face quite often and adjusting to speak so the fabric wouldn't be in her mouth, did not wash hands between touches...

People wearing winter scarves over their faces, pulling them down to talk and eat, touching face constantly...

Older woman pulling mask away from her face to speak to someone else, Touching face in the process...

This was about 2 days of observations. The best things you can do to prevent infection is to wash your hands for 20sec at least every time, do not touch your face unless you've washed your hands, and distance yourself at least 6 feet from others you do not cohabitate with...

I know wearing a mask seems like a good idea. If you're going to wear one, please take a few moments to learn how to wear one properly to protect yourself and those around you. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk #PlankTheCurve #FlattenTheCuve