How effective are full head or full body plastic bags against coronavirus?
I saw photos from a China and Europe of people wearing full body plastic bags, or just a bag over their head or even large plastic bottle over the head.
Is there any evidence, even anecdotal, about effectiveness?
Now people have to spend hours in long lines in grocery stores, in hospital emergency rooms where their risk of getting infected is very high. We need some protection. Washing hands is not enough when all your face and head is covered in other people's saliva droplets.
I understand that we should not wear masks because there is a shortage of them, they do not protect eyes, do not protect from touching face, etc.
At the first glance a plastic bag solves all these problems. Today I made an experiment - took a wide brimmed hat and pulled a small transparent trash bag over it. I can wear it quite comfortably - the bag hangs freely and extends down just below my shoulders, some fresh air is coming from below, there is no fogging. Plastic does not touch my face (except during strong wind), so there is no discomfort. If I feel an urge to touch my face I can do it through the plastic. All droplets from peoples coughs and sneezes should remain on outer surface. Aerosol, of course, can drift upward with air, but I heard that coronavirus is very unlikely to be spread by aerosol. So, plastic should work, should it?
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Your question is almost the same as asking whether a plastic bag can be used as a hazmat suit, and the answer clearly must be no otherwise health professionals would be using bags instead of suits.
But does it provide protection? Likely it will as a physical barrier against droplet infection reaching your mucous membranes. Aerosols appear to require some type of mechanical assist eg. toilet flushing or faulty plumbing systems so I would not be concerned about those.
You'll need to remove the plastic bag without contamininating your hands, and then hand wash carefully after disposing of it.
Sorry, no references so opinion only.
PS:
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