Oz, there are several types of surgical masks, and they are of different ranks of protection, so to speak.

There are masks that won't protect you at all from any virus, and are there only to keep dust and particles away.

There are the widely spread ones that are supposed to protect others from getting whatever you have. That's why you are supposed to wear one if you have any sort of symptom, but they're useless to you if you are healthy.

Then there are two-way ones, that filter both ways and they DO protect you from others. Such are the FFP2 and FFP3 masks. They are NOT the oblong ones you see worn around. Unfortunately there is a great lack of such masks even for front line health care staff. That's why even at the RC we can't go assist without being in danger even though there are surgical masks available for us when we go to places with a high risk of infection (assuming we were allowed, which we aren't). We're expecting a round of special overalls and proper masks so we can go operate.

The reason everyone is wearing the surgical masks in the hospitals is due to desperation. If everyone is wearing it, everyone is keeping his/her own germs to him/herself, and thus some measure of protection is taking place. Normally though what would have been needed would be for the medical staff to wear the FFP3 type masks.

Here's a nice explanation of it all here What mask protects from coronavirus

I went out with my son for an exercise walk, which we are allowed to do once a day. What surprised me was the large number of people also out supposedly taking daily exercise walks. The route we followed was busier than usual and it was hard work trying to maintain social distancing, especially since around 50% seem not to care.

Worst of all are the runners. They make no attempt to distance themselves (probably assuming they're safe because they're moving quickly) and of course they're expelling droplets with much more force than the rest of us. I've always thought they were a danger to themselves, but now they seem more than willing to put the rest of us at risk.

I think I'm kind of in a unique situation; I'm part of the class of 2020, which means I'm supposed to graduate this year. Of course, with schools and colleges all canceled in my area and no note on whether or not things are going to work out, I doubt I'll even be able to graduate.

Why not these masks?

Tantz, I think the people who write these articles are unaware of some things… Because the world of safety masks is huge and they only focus on common disposable types.
Testing done on various simple home made masks found that they are about 30% as effective as disposable surgical masks. Which still means they're quite effective.
And a medical taskforce put together by the Hongkong university developed a simple disposable surgical mask using two sheets of kitchen paper and a tissue that's 90% as effective as a commercial disposable surgical mask.

But far more advanced masks exist on the market that are way more effective than either the common h-95 or disposable surgical masks. This kind of thing for example:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/3m-full-face-paint-project-reusable-respirators_p0216399
But even this:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/protector-respirator-kit_p5822368
or this:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/3m-multi-purpose-quick-latch-respirators-with-cool-flow-valve_p0054515
Will easily do the trick better than the masks talked about in any of these many articles.


From what I've read from the scientific sources though there's been some confusion about what's needed. The idea that the virus can aresol into fine enough particles to go through normal masks under normal conditions seems to be false, so conclusions based on that are faulty.
You CAN aresolise it but you need a nebuliser, the virus doesn't do that from coughing. So normal disposable surgical masks and, a plastic gown and a face-shield are deemed proper protection for frontline staff dealing with suspected cases. That's what they're doing at the biggest hospital in the state here.

As for the lack of masks with valves- this only goes for the specific types of disposable mask. You can still get others with two way valves.

One of the reasons for the advice given seems to be to stop the public from taking up all the masks that are needed by those in the medical field who are on the front line.


———————–

The mask situation is a lot more nuanced and complex than most article writers seem prepared to tackle…
- Preventing you from touching your eyes and face is very important, something that most face coverings do.
- If you're in confined internal spaces (like a bus or train) or having unavoidable contact with people, something to foil the intake of breath is very useful in those situations. Useless while walking on the street though because it's not needed.
- The outside of a mask must be cleaned. You can't do that with disposable masks, so you must dispose of them. Reusable masks with filters dare cleanable though. You can't get them 100% sterile, but you don't really need to unless you're dealing directly with infected people.
-

Oz, I'm just telling you what medical folk at the front lines go by right now, and what the red cross goes by right now. The fact that I posted a pop medicine article doesn't mean that it's by people that don't know what they're talking about. The particular e-magazine is addressed to medical professionals as a rule for medical innovations.

As for the virus: at this time, it's very risky to say anything about its nature and manner of contagion because, as the experts do indeed say, IT HASN'T BEEN FULLY STUDIED YET. So whether it can or cannot be transmitted via various means is yet under testing, as is what its full behavior within the human body is.

So let's not talk in absolutes.

And well, if you are aware of these things about masks, I don't see why you were wondering about them ;)

So, I live in Lombardy and things here are pretty shitty, although the small city I live in (Gallarate, population 50000) does not have many cases. Luckily nobody in my family is ill but I have a friend who is intubated.

I use the mask and plastic gloves when I go to the supermarket, but mostly for others:I'm 44 and I don't fear the virus much, but I might be a carrier not knowing it, so I think I should avoid to put other people in danger.

I often see people shopping in supermarkets without that, I think they are asses, but probably they just don't feel personally at risk but don't realize they are a risk to others.

marcorossi wrote:

I often see people shopping in supermarkets without that, I think they are asses, …

OR, maybe like me, they weren't out as part of the locust plague that cleared everything off the shelves, during the initial ‘lemmings’ panic !!
AS a post-transplant and older person, I prefer to avoid the ‘great unwashed’ than be involved in crowded ‘hunter-gatherer’ situations !
SO, now, where do I get masks and gloves, to go out, if I'm isolated at home and have been for about 10 days, so far… ?

Stay safe everyone !

OR, maybe like me, they weren't out as part of the locust plague that cleared everything off the shelves, during the initial ‘lemmings’ panic !!

Okay but, for example, I also ran ot of gloves.
But here in Italy it is customary for supermarket to give out free plastic single use gloves for unpackage fruit and vegetables (this is something that become customary like 20 years ago).
So the first thing I do when I enter a supermarket is to get a pair of these gloves, and then I start buying stuff.

But many people don't do this, I assume because they don't see the problem.

As I said the problem is not for me (I'm still 44 so not really at risk), but the problem is that I could give the virus to someone who is also asymptomatic, who gives the virus to someone else, and so on until it gets to someone who is hit hard and dies.

Also note that I'm living in Lombardy (Italy), and as of today we already had 10 000 deaths in Italy, of which almost 6000 in Lombardy, so it looks already like a war bulletin (it seems we might have peaked, but it is not sure and anyway peaking is something, going down is somethig else).
So while I understand that people act this way without bad reasons, but it still is very irresponsible.

marcorossi wrote:
But here in Italy it is customary for supermarket to give out free plastic single use gloves for unpackage fruit and vegetables (this is something that become customary like 20 years ago).
So the first thing I do when I enter a supermarket is to get a pair of these gloves, and then I start buying stuff.

But many people don't do this, I assume because they don't see the problem.

I was discussing this with my wife earlier and it seems to us that the supermarket staff are facing immense risk but are not subjected to the same stringent safety measures as health workers. It's as if the government are willing to turn a blind eye to this because if the easy availability of food is threatened, they can forget about lock ins and social distancing. Meanwhile those staff are not going to get adequate protection when there isn't enough for front line NHS workers.

I'm currently writing and editing my script while watching this video:

https://youtu.be/8qtpjdgmLFY

It relaxes me.

Plus I was on Twitter just reading a few tweet under #pencilsdown. I
m afraid to say that I am not taking either side. What do you all think?

Ironscarf wrote:

marcorossi wrote:
But here in Italy it is customary for supermarket to give out free plastic single use gloves for unpackage fruit and vegetables (this is something that become customary like 20 years ago).
So the first thing I do when I enter a supermarket is to get a pair of these gloves, and then I start buying stuff.

But many people don't do this, I assume because they don't see the problem.

I was discussing this with my wife earlier and it seems to us that the supermarket staff are facing immense risk but are not subjected to the same stringent safety measures as health workers. It's as if the government are willing to turn a blind eye to this because if the easy availability of food is threatened, they can forget about lock ins and social distancing. Meanwhile those staff are not going to get adequate protection when there isn't enough for front line NHS workers.

Well, here at least supermarket personnel has some safety measures, like plexiglass shields between them and customers, masks etc.

But I still don't envy them: my sister works as a cashier in a non essential shop, she was quite scared before it was closed.

Since COVID-19 is a thing, I made a wiki page.
https://oc-database.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Draleigh%27s_characters

The nation received a letter from Boris Johnson today, reminding us all why we need to do our bit and stay indoors. Boris has been in intensive care for three days now and judging by this, dodgy grammar is yet another syptom of Covid-19.

Ironscarf wrote:
The nation received a letter from Boris Johnson today, reminding us all why we need to do our bit and stay indoors. Boris has been in intensive care for three days now and judging by this, dodgy grammar is yet another syptom of Covid-19.

Hahaha !

In Los Angeles, California, USA. Everyone going to grocery stores, restaurants and and other business that is essential, has to wear a face mask in addition to social distancing.

I've been listening Avicii while working on this with my inker.

I live in Algeria -north Africa- and it's a shit show here, the government issued an emergency state with prison penalty to whoever is out their home without a legal excuse between 07:00 PM to 07:00 AM because in the first 3 weeks people completely refused to self quarantine and went on traveling and having wedding services, add to that terrible healthcare, and obnoxious citizens and you get yourself 100s of new cases of Covid per day
I'm a health personal and I work 48 hours a week and in direct contact with the most backwards of patients who refuse to even respect a safe distance between themselves and the others, luckily I tested negative 2 weeks ago but I feel like it's a matter of time before we perish