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How is Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affecting your community?

Started by Jim Stettler, March 15, 2020, 10:35:33 AM

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twocvbloke

I tend to find myself more out of breath when using masks, not sure if it's just a psychosomatic effect (aka, all in my head!) or if it's the masks restricting airflow, but I struggle with them, almost like a semi-claustrophobia thing...  ???

I do have a facemask for dealing with "organic vapours" (aka solvents, gases like ammonia & chlorine, bad smells in general, etc.), but utterly useless against other things like bacteria and viruses, especially given it has a release valve that lets my breath out unfiltered, so if I were to be a carrier of the lurgy, it wouldn't stop me from emitting it...

19and41

I find the demand for masks irrational.  If any mandate was put upon wearing these security blankets, there would be thousands turned away from their necessary activities because they cannot be had.  You would also find people wearing the same mask day after day just to be able to shop, get prescriptions or get fuel with no benefit whatsoever.  This is one of those occasions where reason HAS to overcome simple fear.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Key2871

I live in the sticks in central New Hampshire, I have not worn a mask but I do have health issues such as athsma. And if I breathe in a virus such as that I will get sick. I'm considering wearing one in public.
And yes I too have problems breathing easy with one on. But it's because the air is limited coming in.
The biggest thing about a mask is keeping it disinfected. If the mask should become infected and I touch the out side, and then anything else, it will potenally contaminate anything I touch.
So I agree a mask is iffy at best.
Plus all I can find is a dust mask, not a NIOSH mask by anymeans. So am I just wasting my effort?
I used to work in a metal finishing shop and at times was required to wear a 3M 65 mask, NIOSH rated.
But that was 15 years ago, and everything is either unavailable, or very limited.
So I'm still weighing my options.
Even my 9 year old son is scared to go out for fear of getting the virus. But he's that way anyway.
I do limit my time in the store, was my hands asap, etc so far so good. But this is truly freaky.
KEN

19and41

Many people I see around here wearing a mask will shift it up to their forehead or their neck to talk, then put it back over their face.  I'm sorry, that is just having one as a talisman.  I just don't want to be forced to wear one that I can't get, to be able to go foraging about for the things I need.  I don't even know what level of supply that they have these days, but I would get dust respirator masks, not the dancing bear looking paper bowls, that have better filtration, and would be good for several outings provided they were cleaned and allowed to dry after each use.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Key2871

I hear ya, it's a PITA but better safe than dead.
I just got back from getting gas and food, nobody at the gas station, but a few in the store about 15% were wearing masks that looked  home made.
I didn't wear mine, but next time I will.
I'm thinking of my family more I don't want to get sick. But if it happens what can I do..
KEN


TelePlay

My Walmart has an exterior queue set up with the number of shoppers (plus employees) not to exceed 800 in the store. Walked right in at  noon today. Might have been 100 cars in the car park so my guess at total shoppers when I was there had to be about 200-300. Everyone stayed away from everybody else.

Shelves have been restocked, including loo paper. Hand sanitizers still out. Plenty of soaps and plenty of food.

Gas is down to $1.13 per gallon.

=====

As for masks, the N95 rating means the mask is NOT (N) resistant to oils and it will catch particles as small as 0.3 microns 95% of the time. It seems the N95 masks are trapping ejected moisture droplets carrying the virus and not the virus itself. An R95 is the same but it is also resistant to oils.


Size in microns (1 micron is 1 millionth of a meter)

Viruses               0.005 - 0.3
Bacteria              0.3 - 60
Liquid Droplets    0.5 - 5 (human sneezes, coughs and speaking loudly, projecting)
Anthrax              1.0 - 5
Mold                   3.0 - 12
One inch      25400.0

If interested, and can understand research papers, this one compared the N95 material to a few cotton fabrics.

https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/54/7/789/202744

The test results are in terms of penetration of particles, not stopping or capture so an N95 mask rated to stop particles down to 0.3 microns 95% of the time is the same as having 5% of the particles 0.3 microns or larger penetrate the mask.

The study found the "Average penetration levels for the three different cloth masks were between 74 and 90%, while N95 filter media controls showed 0.12% at 5.5 cm s−1 face velocity. The penetration levels increased significantly for the N95 control filter media but remained <5%."

In other words, cotton masks help some: 74-90% of test particles were not stopped by the cotton masks while 5% or less of the particles were not stopped by the N95 mask material.

I've seen a lot of different face and hand coverings the past few days and if those wearing what they came up with makes them feel better, that's great. However, this image from Pennsylvania is something else.

Key2871

I've seen Coke bottles made  into masks on YouTube, some look quite odd but I don't know what they use for filtration. But seems to me protecting your self from possible air born particulates is fine.
I don't want to be in a hospital with contaminated patents with one. But in general public areas it seems it should at least help.
We now have an mask order in new hampshire. Or it's highly recomended. And I have a board meeting tomorrow at 1. I don't think it's all that important, but one guy will screw us if we don't try to place him on HOLD, and forget to pick up later. People..
KEN

tubaman

I think the masks are more for the protection of others than yourself. If they help reduce the particles in your breath from dropping onto surfaces etc then that will slow the spread in the community.
:)

Jim Stettler

Quote from: tubaman on April 05, 2020, 03:56:18 AM
I think the masks are more for the protection of others than yourself. If they help reduce the particles in your breath from dropping onto surfaces etc then that will slow the spread in the community.
:)

That is the theory behind the Colorado stance. 
The Gov stated the project promo  had been in planning for at least a week.
The promotion is to make masks cool . When masks are cool, It is socially unacceptable to go to the store w/o one.
PLEASE NOTE: these are supposed to be homemade masks, using materials at hand. A bandana or old concert T were some official suggestions.

The official stance is wear one whenever you leave your house.
The user stance  is put it on before you enter a store.
Jim



You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Key2871

Yea that makes sense. Just protection where ever you can is best.
KEN

TelePlay

Who are these people, where did they come from?

=====

4/5/2020 11:29 AM PT
This is a terrifying scene for every store clerk these days -- a woman coughing and spitting in rage while checking out at a California Walmart!!!

The crazy altercation went down in Yreka, CA when the woman got into a spat over her bill while she was at the register this past week. Apparently, she felt she was overcharged and wanted to glance at the screen, but the Walmart worker told her to back up. That's when the spit started hitting the fan.

A manager walked over and tried to calm her down, but the woman spun into a full-blown meltdown ... suddenly beginning to cough and SPIT on a Walmart staffer ... who immediately dialed 9-1-1.

If you thought that was crazy, just watch the cringe-worthy aftermath of her trying to explain why she did what she did. Spoiler ... it's got something to do with a crackpot theory about dispelling phlegm, to get rid of the virus. She also brought up "dumb blondes."

Anyway, there's more ... but we'll let you watch. Eventually, cops reportedly arrived and escorted her out. It's unclear if she was arrested.

https://apple.news/AnXSoZX6PQCGeKyPmhnLHiw

.....

Here is another story about the Covid Crazies. These people are just losing their common sense.

A security guard at a Walmart in Sherbrooke, Que. is in critical condition after being hit by a driver frustrated by the store's COVID-19 prevention measures.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/sherbrooke-walmart-coronavirus-hit-and-run-1.5522500 


Key2871

Yup the madness is setting in. I predict there will be lots more before this is over.
KEN

twocvbloke

There's a reason the word "Covidiot" was added to UrbanDictionary, given plenty of people are displaying symptoms of being a selfish youknowhwat during a time when we all need to work together to stop a virus spreading, but they're too self-righteous and self-entitled to give a monkeys about other people who are working hard to keep things going, because the next step is a total lockdown, where you're not allowed out of the house at all without written permission from the authorities...