Week 1: feedback

This is a special situation for us here at the University of Bergen in Norway. The university has closed down its activity on campus and we are only working online, like this when we are making messages to our students online. Hello, everybody – the world is facing a special problem today with the coronavirus threat, and we are all very concerned. Yes, and some of you have sent us a question. You want to know if all kind of workers should use a facemask like this -always? Oh, we have to explain! First, we have to talk about the health persons.

The medical facemasks they use, they do not protect from the coronavirus alone, it has to be combined with good hand hygiene and to keep distance from sick persons. Yes, and we should also underline that these facemasks are made not only to protect the health personnel, but also to protect the patients! Yeah, this is very different from industrial work places where the workers use facemasks to protect themselves. Yes, and then we should mention - what about people out in the street and workers at other workplaces than in health. They should not use these facemasks at all. That is true, you see, there is no evidence that these facemasks protect workers who are not sick, and they may even cause problems.

Because, you show that when you are fiddling with your fingers along the mask, you can easily bring virus up to your mouth and infect yourself. Take it off!

Ok, Magne – then I must say: In week 3 of this course, you will learn more about protection against the coronavirus. And meanwhile - Take care and wash your hands often!