Experts say face masks can help slow COVID-19, despite previous claims

[JimMIA]

Everyone swaps gross stories during the holidays. The EMTs ALWAYS win

Probably, but that may just be firehouse story-telling skill.

I actually think believe that nursing is much nastier (and more difficult) than EMS. EMS has its moments, but nobody works harder, in more difficult situations, than a hospital RN.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Probably, but that may just be firehouse story-telling skill.

I actually think believe that nursing is much nastier (and more difficult) than EMS. EMS has its moments, but nobody works harder, in more difficult situations, than a hospital RN.

It's a special skill for sure. I have a poker face but sometimes I need to leave the room.

 

[JimMIA]

It's a special skill for sure. I have a poker face but sometimes I need to leave the room.

EMS folks are special in many ways, lol.

 

[Deploraboo]

And remove shoes before entering the home.

 

[Imzadi]

I think for the most part they always knew, but due to the very limited resources; they didn't feel the risk to all outweighed the risk to those who had higher risks not having them, so they only recommended for those being exposed etc.

I think they were trying to stop a mass hysteria.

Yes, at the time they told us masks wouldn't help, China was at it's peak with the virus and even they were running out of masks. And they are the ones who make most of the masks or the components. So to stem the mass hysteria they knew would be coming and stop the hoarding so that healthcare workers would have enough, they told us they wouldn't help us.

That was a ridiculous and illogical statement. You can't say healthcare workers NEED them and it will save their lives, yet it doesn't work for us average citizens. I get that we should be staying home in self-isolation, but if we have to go out and buy groceries, or work where there is close contact to people: cashiers, delivery people, then YES, having a mask on protects both parties.

Have people noticed, whenever you see photos of people on the streets of China and South Korea, which now have the virus under control there, they ALL wear masks. South Korea has been able to successfully flatten the curve and control the virus without shutting down the country or businesses. They've been able to do this by testing everyone. Another thing we are missing. When someone tests positive, they mandatorily quarantine them. And they track them and arrest the people violating the quarantine and return them back to quarantine.

The second biggest thing they do that is different than us, is that everyone wears face masks. They were already plentiful in the drugstores & stores and people were wearing them because the pollution is so bad there. So, they were already well stocked with them. And now they have surpluses.

 

[Imzadi]

Just curious, how did you get your N95 masks?

And where would you suggest others get them?

EBAY. From Sellers from China or South Korea. Now that they have controlled the Coronavirus there, they actually have excess that they don't need. In fact, once China got it under control there, it was on the news that they sent cases upon cases of the surplus to Italy & Greece. The Coronavirus unfortunately was being nicknamed at the time as the "Chinese virus," so they didn't send them here. I hope both of those situations have been changed.

I don't care who flames me, I bought a couple masks from an eBay seller in China. I did NOT take any from supplies here for our U.S. healthcare workers. I initially didn't buy them when they were plentiful in the stores here, even though my intuition and common sense told me that they are necessary, especially in NYC which we all knew would be the epicenter, and pretty much everyone we come in contact with may have it.

Then after learning I'm high risk due to underlying medical conditions AND going to Whole Foods where it was a nightmarish zoo in there, customers so densely packed in there, that there was no way to shop and maintain any semblance of social distancing. (And that was before we learned about asymptomatic people.) I looked at that crowd and just knew there was a couple people in there who may have the Coronavirus. At any time, someone could have turned their head and sneezed right at me as I'm walking by. I left and swore that day I am going to get an N95 face mask. I don't care the price. Because if I didn't get one, the ultimate price may be my life.

I had checked on Amazon. Most of the resellers who had them listed dates of delivery at the end of April or May. Plus they were getting shut down for price gouging.

So I went on EBay and found a few sellers with high feedback, so they were reliable sellers, and could deliver them within a week's time frame. I VOLUNTARILY PAID THE PRICE GOUGING PRICES. Although, it actually didn't turn out to be much of a price gouge after all, as the eBay seller shipped it DHL international 4-day shipping. (Ended up taking a full week as it was routed to USPS to deliver once it got to the states.) So, while the listing said the two N95 face masks were about $20 with free shipping, after $10-ish for the expedited shipping, he only made $5 each per mask. Still worth the price to me.

I had to go to the grocery store 4 more times after that experience in Whole Foods - which, BTW was closed 2 days ago after a worker got the Coronavirus. I'm not surprised. I HAD to keep going grocery shopping as the date to isolate/quarantine kept getting extended and my local supermarket never had enough to fully stock up.

First 2 times, I didn't have the masks yet. The second 2 times, I did. The relief I felt was like night and day. I still socially distanced in stores. But, that unknown element and concern of possibly being sneezed or wheezed on, in a city where the cases grow exponentially each time I go out, was lessened. (Not gone completely, I'm not stupid. The masks aren't 100% foolproof.) And it kept me from touching my nose while out. And I think the 2 cashiers felt safer around me knowing they weren't going to get sneezed or accidentally spit on by me while talking to them. Two for both of us.

Get an N95 face mask, especially if you are in a high risk category and need to be interacting with people. According to the CDC & WHO and the 3M company, a respected maker of the U.S. ones, it really doesn't matter which type of N95 mask it is- OR a worldwide equivalent, as long as it meets the criteria, it WILL filter out Covid-19. So if all you can get is one usually sold at Home Depot for sanding wood & painting, but it's N95, AND it's tight-fitting around the face, it will work. However, the "clam shell" shaped ones usually don't fit as well, they don't really conform to the face the way the ones with a crease down the center and wrap around usually do.

This is the link to the 3M website, one of the reliable, U.S. makers of the N95 face masks/respirators. It lists many links to their bulletins in regards to their masks meeting the criteria for the WHO & CDC, which state that ANY of their N95 rated masks & respirators (or equivalent) will filter out the Covid-19 virus even if they are made for other uses. There are differences between ones that need to be sterile for surgical use. Then there are ones that are okay for healthcare providers who may not need masks for surgery, but are support teams, like those doing the testing, nurses, etc., who need to be protected. But, now that any N95 face masks are rare for our healthcare workers, I think they are using any they can get that will work, INCLUDING the disposable ones for woodworking, sanding, dust, etc.

If you have the money and can also buy extra to donate to your local hospitals, DO.
From 3M webpage:

Comparisons of worldwide equivalents that do work. They list the Chinese equivalent is the KN95 face mask:

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media...filtering-facepiece-respirator-classes-tb.pdf
BTW, according to medical experts, the epicenter WILL be moving as the Coronavirus cases expand.

 

[Imzadi]

Dr Fauci was just on GMA, and admitted that one of the rationales to telling people not to wear face masks was that if there wasn't enough of them, they have to prioritize them for our healthcare workers and to those that are infected, to protect the healthcare workers from them. [Of course!]


Dr Fauci said, verbatim: "If you pull back and think about it, we're starting to reexamine the possibility that if there ARE enough masks," [coincidentally at the same time that China & South Korea no longer need as many and can start producing them again for the rest of the world, ] "should everyone be wearing masks? Those who try to protect themselves and those who are trying to protect others as they might be infected. There was always this feeling that there's not enough masks so we had to prioritize them for healthcare workers and to the infected. But given the situation that we might have enough masks for everyone, I think there's some rationale that we should try to utilize them more than we do at the present time."

Boom.

Edited: Here is the GMA interview. Dr Fauci is interviewed by George at the 3:03 min mark:

 

[HeatherC]

Haven’t read the whole thread, but wearing a mask in public seems to work in South Korea. They have been able to keep this under control much more than other places.

We have family living there, and they say that if someone does not have a mask on when going out, other people will actually tell you to put one on because you are endangering others.

I don’t think it can hurt even if it does give some a false sense of security because this also is being transmitted by people with no symptoms. Maybe it can help.

 

[HeatherC]

I just read in CNN that Austria is now requiring people to wear masks at the grocery store beginning Wednesday. There reasoning is you may not be able to stop yourself from getting it, but this can stop from transmitting it to others. Makes sense to me.

 

[JimMIA]

One thing Americans don't realize is that mask wearing has been common practice in Asia for generations. It's not a new thing at all. I lived in Japan as a kid many years ago and it was common then.

So for people in China, Korea, Japan, etc to wear masks is really just what they do anyway during flu season. On my rare visits to Publix, I feel weird wearing a mask and gloves -- but to a Chinese person, it's second nature.

 

[JimMIA]

Also just FYI, masks are available -- and N95's are actually more available than regular masks. I ordered 5 N95's yesterday and they are being delivered supposedly on Thursday. Regular masks were showing delivery in late April/early May.

 

[Deploraboo]

The notion that anyone in this Country would attempt to shame someone for wearing an n95 mask is as embarrassing as it is absurd.

Had we all been donning these from Day One, the ERs and ICUs in the hotspots may not have blown up as they have.

 

[robinb]

Dr Fauci was just on GMA, and admitted that one of the rationales to telling people not to wear face masks was that if there wasn't enough of them, they have to prioritize them for our healthcare workers and to those that are infected, to protect the healthcare workers from them. [Of course!]


Dr Fauci said, verbatim: "If you pull back and think about it, we're starting to reexamine the possibility that if there ARE enough masks," [coincidentally at the same time that China & South Korea no longer need as many and can start producing them again for the rest of the world, ] "should everyone be wearing masks? Those who try to protect themselves and those who are trying to protect others as they might be infected. There was always this feeling that there's not enough masks so we had to prioritize them for healthcare workers and to the infected. But given the situation that we might have enough masks for everyone, I think there's some rationale that we should try to utilize them more than we do at the present time."

Boom.

I'll be interested in watching the video once GMA posts it.

 

[Imzadi]

I'll be interested in watching the video once GMA posts it.

I made a shakey copy on my cellphone too. I'll see if I can post it later if GMA doesn't post it.

 

[Sjm9911]

Also just FYI, masks are available -- and N95's are actually more available than regular masks. I ordered 5 N95's yesterday and they are being delivered supposedly on Thursday. Regular masks were showing delivery in late April/early May.

I have not found any. Where? Additionally some that come from china are not true n 95 masks. They are just stamped n 95. There are counterfits, as hospitals are learning right now.

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

I understand the reasoning and I know it’s about saving lives, which is obviously important, but if the choice is between wearing a mask everywhere you go or staying home, I’m staying home. No matter how much I want to go somewhere, if I have to wear a mask to do it it’s not worth it.

 

[JimMIA]

I have not found any. Where? Additionally some that come from china are not true n 95 masks. They are just stamped n 95. There are counterfits, as hospitals are learning right now.

Amazon.. Search for KN95 masks. They are $14.95, ship in 2-3 business days.

Yes, they are mfg in China, but are fulfilled by Amazon. I don't think Amazon would fulfill fake masks.

 

[JimMIA]

I understand the reasoning and I know it’s about saving lives, which is obviously important, but if the choice is between wearing a mask everywhere you go or staying home, I’m staying home.

Of course. So is everyone else.

No matter how much I want to go somewhere, if I have to wear a mask to do it it’s not worth it.

You're gonna get kinda hungry eventually...

 

[*DisneyDreamer]

You're gonna get kinda hungry eventually...

Ok, you don’t have to take that comment so literally. I’ll still go get food when I need it but that is it right now. I don’t care about anything else.

 

[Sjm9911]

Amazon.. Search for KN95 masks. They are $14.95, ship in 2-3 business days.

Yes, they are mfg in China, but are fulfilled by Amazon. I don't think Amazon would fulfill fake masks.

K 95 are a little diffrent, i have tried to order those but they get cancled as most of them are fakes. I ordered 3 times and before arrival date all 3 orders got cancled. So the are a lit of fakes out there. I need them for work and cant get them.