topic Re: Masks in Community Chat

Masks

BrandiDavis — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 10:20:10 GMT

So, I was just watching a video with regards to whether or not masks during this outbreak should be worn by the public. Well, if you all remember we were all told in the beginning of this and even up until now that unless you were sick or a caregiver there was no need for the public to wear masks.

Even the Sugeon General on 2/29 said for people to STOP buying masks, etc...said they essentially only worked for healthcare workers. Which that in itself doesn't make any sense. Their effectiveness doesn't change based on someone's job.

What they should've been telling us, was you know there is a shortage on masks so healthcare workers/elderly people will be given priority. People would've understood that, but instead they told us we did NOT need them. Which if you remember I know several of us even here on the boards questioned b/c it seemed like in China EVERY single person was wearing one! So, WHY wouldn't we also do that here in the U.S. Well, now we are seeing why. They lied. Instead of shooting us straight they tried to say they weren't effective for the general public. I cannot attach links here b/c of the obvious, but you can search this and see what I mean.

Now, TPTB are saying they may start to reccommend that the public wear masks. Hmm...imagine that.

So frustrating. Throughout this whole ordeal, not one person has had a straight answer. Too much wishy-washy when it comes to peoples lives. God help us all.

Re: Masks

TY — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 10:51:19 GMT

I have fabric face masks because I have been using them to fly to and from Las Vegas in the last year and a half. The last time I bought those was last summer and that was from a canadian walmart and from a Miniso store. It’s not unusual even in pre pandemic times to see asian people wearing face masks in Vancouver, B.C. Canada.

Regular pharmacies here have not had face masks since the last week in January and hardware stores sold out of N95 disposable masks back then too. I found dust masks at Dollarama - a canadian dollar store chain back in early Feb. and bought them. I also stocked up on cleaning supplies and rubbing alcohol then when they had stock because hand sanitizer also was sold out everywhere.

The just in time inventory supply chain for health supplies can’t work in a pandemic as there are not enough for everyone. Now people are sewing their own face masks and I also sewed 3 of my own out of molded cup removable athletic bra inserts and elastic. People were joking about it in January and February but nobody is laughing now.

So now I’m reading that regular cotton material won’t stop germs and viruses but think out of the box about material you could use to sew face masks like bonded fabric used to make blackout curtains or the bonded material used in dust mite proofing pillow cases and mattress covers. If you don’t have elastic, you could try shoe laces as you likely have stretchy athletic shoe laces you could use.

Re: Masks

BrandiDavis — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:00:49 GMT

@TY Wow, that is wonderful that you were already in a way preparing for this and now that will definitely pay off for you!! I wish I knew how to sew, b/c I would try to make something too!! I do agree that cotton alone won't be enough of a barrier, but you do have to think outside of the box during these times and as you suggested lining it with something would be ideal. The way I feel about it is it's better than wearing nothing at all! Even if it offers "some" protection, again better than none at all!

What a great idea to use the removable molded cup from athletic type bras. I actually have several of those b/c I bought my daughter a pack of Rhonda Shear ahh bras that were on clearance a few weeks back, they were normally $60 and I got 3 of them for $21 so I couldn't pass it up. Anyways, she doesn't use the pads. Again if I knew how to sew!!

Re: Masks

CalminHeart — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:04:53 GMT

@BrandiDavis wrote:

Now, TPTB are saying they may start to reccommend that the public wear masks. Hmm...imagine that.

So frustrating. Throughout this whole ordeal, not one person has had a straight answer. Too much wishy-washy when it comes to peoples lives. God help us all.

Things change as medical experts learn more about the virus. It's no different than anything else. Experts learn as the pandemic grows and share that information.

The worst part about all this is that too many people prefer to listen to a man who plays a doctor on tv than an real doctor/medical expert.

Re: Masks

TY — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:25:37 GMT

@BrandiDavis

If you have a needle and thread you can hand sew the elastic to a bra insert or cut a small hole in the bra insert near the edge and slip the elastic or shoe lace in through the hole and make an overhand knot to keep it in place. Other elastic you could use are bra straps - how many have those bra straps that come off of a bra like a strapless bra or a swimsuit?

Edited to add:

Below is a prototype mask made by New Balance shoe company that they are going to make. Notice the shoe laces threaded through the mask? Shoe laces don't have to be these curly types to thread through holes in a mask or used as elastic that goes around the ears instead of the whole head when you are do it yourself making a face mask.

Re: Masks

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:18:52 GMT

It was my understanding that the masks protected people from the person wearing the mask, NOT protecting the one that was wearing the mask.

In other words if you have a cold, it protects those around you from getting the cold.

Re: Masks

Deree — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:20:57 GMT

No I don't think telling the truth at the outset would have been met with "understanding people". Too many people are selfish and greedy and when you add Fear to the equation you get mass hysteria. No they would not have left the masks for the health care workers. Every man and woman for themselves. JMO. I think common sense tells someone that any physical barrier will help. Even a bandana tied around your nose and mouth is better than nothing and I think everyone in an affected area should be wearing one.

Re: Masks

on the bay — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:06:02 GMT

@BrandiDavis -

That made me mad too. Just tell us up front-we need masks for health care workers!

While all the while, oh it won't protect you ,everyone in China is ordered to wear a mask!

The other reason it doesn't make sense is that 20-30% of people who get the virus get it from people who have NO symptoms!(cnn)

So don't try to bs Americans. Just tell the truth and we'll go from there.

And I can't sew either, though I do a pretty good button sewn on!

I think the truth, which surgeon general did say, was that there wasn't enough and to save them for medical personnel. And that's it. Not that they wouldn't really help those who aren't sick. I bet most would wear them if we had them, including those who carry the virus with no symptoms and aren't sick!

Re: Masks

tototwo — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:06:38 GMT

Doctors were explaining on the news this morning that there are 2 types of masks: the ones that don't let the wearer breathe out germs to other people, and ones that don't allow germs in. Don't ask me to explain any further than that - I wasn't listening all that well. "They" are recommending people wear the kind that don't let germs out so we don't accidentally breathe on and infect others.

Re: Masks

CrazyDaisy — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 12:53:37 GMT

Hind sight is 20/20

People can only do the best they can with the information available at the time.

Re: Masks

sidsmom — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:24:57 GMT

Instead of trying to rig up something for a mask,

take all that energy and....stay at home.

"But I need to get groceries"

OK...then a bandana/scarf is fine.

If someone is saying they need multiple masks....

that's a clear indication they are not adhering to the

self-isolation suggestion.

@BrandiDavis

China residents wore masks for prior yrs because

of the pollution.

Re: Masks

Sweetbay magnolia — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:44:19 GMT

My wardrobe of Buff head scarves may be useful beyond the original purpose. Ya think? Don't know. Right now I'll just stay in place but a trip for groceries is on the somewhat distant horizon.

Re: Masks

VaBelle35 — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 14:01:02 GMT

The bridal store in my town is making masks for the hospital across the street out of hepa vacuum cleaner bags.

Re: Masks

pitdakota — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 15:55:53 GMT

@BrandiDavis wrote:
So, I was just watching a video with regards to whether or not masks during this outbreak should be worn by the public. Well, if you all remember we were all told in the beginning of this and even up until now that unless you were sick or a caregiver there was no need for the public to wear masks.

Even the Sugeon General on 2/29 said for people to STOP buying masks, etc...said they essentially only worked for healthcare workers. Which that in itself doesn't make any sense. Their effectiveness doesn't change based on someone's job.

What they should've been telling us, was you know there is a shortage on masks so healthcare workers/elderly people will be given priority. People would've understood that, but instead they told us we did NOT need them. Which if you remember I know several of us even here on the boards questioned b/c it seemed like in China EVERY single person was wearing one! So, WHY wouldn't we also do that here in the U.S. Well, now we are seeing why. They lied. Instead of shooting us straight they tried to say they weren't effective for the general public. I cannot attach links here b/c of the obvious, but you can search this and see what I mean.

Now, TPTB are saying they may start to reccommend that the public wear masks. Hmm...imagine that.

So frustrating. Throughout this whole ordeal, not one person has had a straight answer. Too much wishy-washy when it comes to peoples lives. God help us all.

__________________________________________________________

@BrandiDavis , there are some out there saying that if people can wear masks out in public they might be encouraged to because of the asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus and those that are early in the syptoms of the virus that might think they only have a cold. Not because there is any change in the research that plain surgical masks or the fabric type masks provide the person wearing it any protection for the person wearing the masks.

It keeps people that have the coronavirus from spreading their respiratory droplets out in public. And since our testing has been such a fiasco, there are some that think this might help prevent community transmission from those that are still having to work or go shopping for groceries, etc when they are acutally contagious and don't know it yet.

People in China wear masks all the time. The primary reasons are for air pollution and because they have an ingrained cultural expectation that in case you might have the flu or some other viral disease you are protecting others out in public from you.

Think about this....even with the custom of routinely wearing masks in China, they currently have over 800,000 confirmed cases. Many of those are health care workers who contracted the disease working directly with patients, but the vast majority are just members of the public. So wearing those masks didn't protect hundreds of thousands from contracting the disease. It may however, offered some protection from others contracting the disease from someone else.

We are still learning as we go, but data about masks hasn't changed. For health care workers surgical masks alone don't provide adequate protection. We have studies at this point in time that material or fabric masks don't provide protection for health care workers. Which is why we are now seeing other individuals or groups that are now making masks out of different types of HEPA filters or filters made for air conditioners during this shortage. That is the level of filtration that is required to protect the person wearing the mask.

There is not one single credible research study that demonstrates these types of masks filter a virus of this size effectively with the exception of the N95 respirator masks or the others that are being designed from other types of high level filtration materials out there. I suspect there will be quite a few more research studies later on about level of protection for different types of masks after we get through this.

But in the meantime, wearing a surgical mask alone or fabric mask out in public right now is to protect others from you. The only mask that really provides protection is the N95 respirator mask. And those respirator masks that are available do need to be reserved for the healthcare workers. And heck, even they don't have enough of them for the doctors and nurses out there that are currently in the thick of taking care of COVID-19 patients or for those out there doing the tests for coronavirus. Many of them are having to wear surgical masks along with googles knowing full well that surgical mask isn't really protecting them from their patients.

Re: Masks

FlowerBear — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 15:57:33 GMT

I see that the CDC might reconsider when they say to not wear one if youre not sick. One Dr thinks that it might keep people who dont have symptoms from infecting other people. They are rethinking that they might say everyone needs to wear a mask! Having asthma I do have the N95 Mask. But havent worn it yet.

Re: Masks

lianne — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:00:47 GMT

If you go on youTube you will find MANY tutorials on making your own masks. Some dont require sewing machines.

Brooks Brothers has pledged to make 150,000 masks a day and surgical gowns going forward.

Re: Masks

beckyb1012 — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:14:26 GMT

Even before this all started I am not an "out and about" kind of person, just work to home over and over. So I do not see the public at large a great deal.

At this time going to Walmart and grocery store on weekends I have seen only three people in masks. One of the three were wearing gloves and one couple who were wearing gloves but no masks. I have yet to see anyone wear a mask or something they made themselves. I would assume it sort of covering over your mouth and nose would be better than nothing if it was all you had available.

Re: Masks

stuyvesant — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:18:03 GMT

I live in NYC, a lot of people are wearing masks and a lot of people are not. Nobody thinks you're a walking contagion, self deluding yourself that it's OK to walk around with the virus because you're wearing a mask. Everybody, universally just accepts it.

It' s simply an addition to the arsenal. I also don't leave my apartment without hand sanitizer. That's strictly because of corona. Never did that before either.

Re: Masks

pitdakota — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:37:39 GMT

@BrandiDavis, hope the previous post made sense in that research that is out there hasn't changed so although I have been very critical of many aspects of our preparation and failure at testing, this is something I don't think is a big conspiracy that experts were lying to the public to save for a shortage available for health care workers. If that were the case, we would not have sent such a large shipment of masks, gowns, gloves, and ventilators to China in Feb.

Ongoing research will provide more information and guidelines may change as evidence supports changing existing guidelines or implementing new ones. Hope that makes sense!

Re: Masks

DustRose — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 17:06:41 GMT

My sister sent me a video of an older Italian man making a feminine product into a mask

Sorry I don't know how to post the video