Im not comfortable touching surfaces, this virus is transmitted the same way other respiratory viruses are through droplet infection, thus the CDC recommendation for frequent hand washing and disinfection of surfaces.
- Thread starter chico bill
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Coronavirus - In the DR
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I'm not expecting the end of the world or a zombie apocalypse but I have followed some of the tenets that have been adopted by the Prepper community for many years. I have several ways of purifying water for consumption, cooking food, a dental kit, an expansive first aid kit, my own AED and yes N95 masks among other supplies.
If I lose a filling and can't get to a dentist I can temporarily fix that. While my house may be in shambles after a hurricane, I can go to the nearest puddle of water and get something to drink. I'm not a big fan of being completely dependent on the swift arrival of govt or other organizations in times of difficulty so I do what I can to secure comfort, security and to have the essentials available for me and my family if times get tough or even if they don't.
Because of this approach, I have my own (not unlimited) stash of N95 masks to use. Since I have them, it doesn't make sense not to make use of them. Even supplies such as masks need to be rotated every so often.
If I lose a filling and can't get to a dentist I can temporarily fix that. While my house may be in shambles after a hurricane, I can go to the nearest puddle of water and get something to drink. I'm not a big fan of being completely dependent on the swift arrival of govt or other organizations in times of difficulty so I do what I can to secure comfort, security and to have the essentials available for me and my family if times get tough or even if they don't.
Because of this approach, I have my own (not unlimited) stash of N95 masks to use. Since I have them, it doesn't make sense not to make use of them. Even supplies such as masks need to be rotated every so often.
Wow - do you keep all your supplies in an underground bunker?
I have a friend of mine that is a "prepper". He and many others like him started buying the N95 masks in large quantities in January and early February, just like all those people that bought up huge quantities of toilet paper. That's one of the reasons they're in short supply.
Politicians the world over at some point in time decided that they would rather spend the money on something else rather than restocking national inventories or provisioning hospitals for a healthcare emergency. That's why there is a shortage of PPE. That and the fact that a lot of it comes from China.
Just think back to SARS. I believe it was France that was first country to announce they were suspending all exports of PPE. The shortage of critical items was entirely foreseeable for years. It's just that everyone in a position to do something about it chose to believe that there would be no significant pandemic during their tenure in the job so they did little to nothing about what they felt was an inconsequential shortcoming.
Maybe the lesson has been learned this time around.
Just think back to SARS. I believe it was France that was first country to announce they were suspending all exports of PPE. The shortage of critical items was entirely foreseeable for years. It's just that everyone in a position to do something about it chose to believe that there would be no significant pandemic during their tenure in the job so they did little to nothing about what they felt was an inconsequential shortcoming.
Maybe the lesson has been learned this time around.
So do you trust the W.H.O or not ( I don't). They say a healthy person shouldn't wear them unless helping an infected person?
I just use my chicas panties
The reasoning and instructions attributed to the WHO in the article don't make sense to me. As I stated above, I think the logic is backwards. I am a firm believer in the basic principle that some degree of protection is always better than no protection at all.
Covering their nose and mouth with a surgical type mask should reduce the risk an infected person poses to casual passersby by some measurable degree when moving about in society either on foot or on public transit. How much protection the same mask would offer the wearer from someone else who is infected is unclear, but has to be at least a skosh better than no mask at all.
The WHO suffers from the human condition - They get some things right and others things wrong. Being a political entity it is unrealistic to expect that any UN agency doesn't come under some degree of interference and pressure much of the time. I get concerned when I hear governments parroting the advice of these large agencies, WHO, CDC, Health Canada etc when that advice is easily recognized as being illogical.
Don't wear a mask. Ok wear a mask, alright now don't wear a mask again. People might not wear one properly. Duh you think. I see lots everyday not wearing them correctly. People might get a false sense of invincibility. Huh? Of course a N95 mask, and a face shield and gowns and hair caps don't offer a 100% infection free guarantee. Anyone who watches the news and hears about doctors and nurses getting sick should be able to infer that wearing just a mask isn't going to allow one to wade through leper colony with complete impunity. You can't fix stupid so at least try not to dissuade everybody just so the less intelligent don't feel singled out.
My homeland Norway follows the advice from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and their own experts, masks are not considered important and do not recommend those for the general public, but they are open to consider further research that can lead to another decision. So far they are doing quite well without masks.
Based on the lack of evidence, it has so far not been recommended that people who are not ill or who are not providing care to a patient should wear a mask to reduce influenza or COVID-19 transmission.
But nothing wrong with wearing a mask, it will give you protection as stated in this thread IF weared correctly and IF it is a proper medical mask and IF it is maintained/changed as required.
That is my understanding, I have followed the DR rules here and wear panties/fabric/mask when I am outside. In Norway I would not.
I have not a medical mask and is not interested in one before some agency/research shows me that I really should.
No problem understanding that someone else prefer to wear one. This is a new situation, nobody knows all the answers
Based on the lack of evidence, it has so far not been recommended that people who are not ill or who are not providing care to a patient should wear a mask to reduce influenza or COVID-19 transmission.
But nothing wrong with wearing a mask, it will give you protection as stated in this thread IF weared correctly and IF it is a proper medical mask and IF it is maintained/changed as required.
That is my understanding, I have followed the DR rules here and wear panties/fabric/mask when I am outside. In Norway I would not.
I have not a medical mask and is not interested in one before some agency/research shows me that I really should.
No problem understanding that someone else prefer to wear one. This is a new situation, nobody knows all the answers
Enjoy your mask, as for me I will not wear one except for the trips to supermarket and other mandatory locations. In addition to the untrustworthy W.H.O statements I believe as some Medical Doctors say that using the mask and isolating reduces your immune system and hence makes one more susceptible to illnesses.
If complications from the disease may kill you, considerations about your immune system become secondary. I'm not suggesting people wear masks whenever they leave their homes forever. It just makes sense that those who are vulnerable should do what they can to look after themselves. Before others pass judgement on these people when they are seen in public months from now, I would hope that the first thought would be that there might be a reason for the mask rather than mockery from the outset.
In the short term while this disease continues to spread unchecked, anyone who is wearing a mask is doing their part to be considerate of others and are giving themselves some measure of protection against infection that they could otherwise take home to grandma.
I don't particularly enjoy wearing one, but I consider it necessary if I wish to be here this time next year.
In the short term while this disease continues to spread unchecked, anyone who is wearing a mask is doing their part to be considerate of others and are giving themselves some measure of protection against infection that they could otherwise take home to grandma.
I don't particularly enjoy wearing one, but I consider it necessary if I wish to be here this time next year.
The hotter it gets the less mask people
will be wearing. I'm looking forward to it.
Half the people in my neighborhood have
not worn a mask outside since day one and i'm expecting
to see even less people wearing them by the time i return in late august.
I would even in the poor barrio about two block from me about 90% of people wear them outside.
I think we can debate / challenge a lot of things
Most recent German comments say 7 day not 14 day quarantine is good enough
But the mask seems to be effective....
not as prevention from getting CV19 - but to stop the wearer spreading it easily
Most recent German comments say 7 day not 14 day quarantine is good enough
But the mask seems to be effective....
not as prevention from getting CV19 - but to stop the wearer spreading it easily
Here's a bit more on masks....etc
I think the opening sentence expresses the way we all feel - but may say it differently
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When experts recommend wearing masks, staying at least six feet away from others, washing your hands frequently and avoiding crowded spaces, what they’re really saying is: Try to minimize the amount of virus you encounter.
The immune system can see off a few viral particles without making you sick. But how much is needed for an infection to take root?
It wouldn’t be ethical for scientists to expose people to different doses of the coronavirus, as they do with milder cold viruses. Common respiratory viruses, like influenza and other coronaviruses, should offer some insight. But researchers have found little consistency.
For SARS, also a coronavirus, the estimated infective dose is just a few hundred particles. For MERS, it is much higher, on the order of thousands.
The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is more similar to SARS and, therefore, the infectious dose may be hundreds of particles, Dr. Rasmussen said.
But the virus has a history of defying predictions.
Generally, people who harbor high levels of pathogens — whether from influenza, H.I.V. or SARS — tend to have more severe symptoms and are more likely to pass on the infection.
But with the new coronavirus, people who have no symptoms may have just as much virus in their bodies as those who are seriously ill, some studies suggest.
I think the opening sentence expresses the way we all feel - but may say it differently
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When experts recommend wearing masks, staying at least six feet away from others, washing your hands frequently and avoiding crowded spaces, what they’re really saying is: Try to minimize the amount of virus you encounter.
The immune system can see off a few viral particles without making you sick. But how much is needed for an infection to take root?
It wouldn’t be ethical for scientists to expose people to different doses of the coronavirus, as they do with milder cold viruses. Common respiratory viruses, like influenza and other coronaviruses, should offer some insight. But researchers have found little consistency.
For SARS, also a coronavirus, the estimated infective dose is just a few hundred particles. For MERS, it is much higher, on the order of thousands.
The new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is more similar to SARS and, therefore, the infectious dose may be hundreds of particles, Dr. Rasmussen said.
But the virus has a history of defying predictions.
Generally, people who harbor high levels of pathogens — whether from influenza, H.I.V. or SARS — tend to have more severe symptoms and are more likely to pass on the infection.
But with the new coronavirus, people who have no symptoms may have just as much virus in their bodies as those who are seriously ill, some studies suggest.
It is because of those large number of asymptomatic that the social distancing guidelines will not be effective in the long run and more waves are and will continue to happen.
Reports indicate it takes about 15 minutes of being in close proximity to a contagious person to become infected.
Reports indicate that getting the disease from surfaces is a bit less likely than thought before.
Reports indicate that those infected are far more contagious for only a short period of time.
There are many details on this pathogen still not known that reports still do not indicate.
One thing is for sure, people will only be kept in "Social Distancing Isolation" for so long. Unless maybe they are Japanese - they seem OK with that.
Yes, that is why Germany is saying seven days is enough.
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