Coronavirus General Discussion (no politics, no flamewars!)

What can I say to this? This the game changer for Georgia! Duuuh!
https://thehill.com …matic-people-could-spread

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #19038898
Indeed. Social distancing slows down the rate at which the virus is spreading, so health care systems won't get overwhelmed and have to go to a triage system, but the virus will no doubt run its course.

Agreed.

You are likely correct. We may not change significantly the overall number of people infected, but the goal is to spread the infection over a greater time frame.

OhLook wrote in post #19038606
Plus, many of us had some N95s left over from the fires, and when you want to replenish a supply of something, getting what you had before feels easy and natural.

I have had a couple 3M N95 masks around the house, already, for housecleaning, because I get a histamine reaction to dust mite dander. I have the type that has an exhalation valve that bypasses the filter material, though. I don't think that this is the best mask for someone who is infected and is propelling droplets, because many will hit the cloth from momentum, but the finer ones with more air drag and less momentum may follow the current that exits through the valve (the valve actually sits below my lower lip, on my face).

I've seen many videos of public servants wearing this same mask (3M 8511). To think that these only cost about US$2.40 each when I bought them a year ago!

I rotate between them when out shopping for groceries, letting each sit about 72 hours at the least, before using them again. From what I've seen in the studies, though, risk is low a bit before 72 hours with a porous, absorbent surface, but why take unnecessary risks.

Anyway, the more information I see about what are the most effective routes of this virus' transmission, the more manageable it seems to be, if only on an individual level. I think we got off to a bad start because people were still doing a lot of very risky things, like kissing everyone at a church or a wedding or party, hand-shaking, riding subways and buses and pressing elevator buttons and such without gloves, etc, and there's the fact that a lot of people don't take this very seriously, still.

OhLook wrote in post #19038794
This news story says it's possible that the virus can be spread by just breathing.

Of course it can. Proximity and quantity of liquid expulsion determine risk.

This virus is all over the place. Whether you get enough of it for some of them to get to ACE-2 receptors is another story, and from there, your immune system determines whether they take hold or get slaughtered.

Lester Wareham wrote in post #19038900
They do intensify fear though I think, just by they way they report.

In the UK we have wall to wall C-19 impact report, obviously not just the medical impact, the political response, how effective it is, the economic impact, what the Gov is doing about that, what law enforcement is doing, how you can't book a shopping delivery...

It goes on and on, at least there is some normal TV still in the evening but it is a bit a report festival for them, like having 100 royal weddings and 500 royal births and 10,000 sex scandals in high office per week.

This is true.

duckster wrote in post #19038907
You are likely correct. We may not change significantly the overall number of people infected, but the goal is to spread the infection over a greater time frame.

80% of people will try to help this goal . I think we can change the overall number infected if everyone sticks to the plan. How many will resume to complete previous behaviours knowing it is still out there after social distancing is relaxed.

itsallart wrote in post #19038901
What can I say to this? This the game changer for Georgia! Duuuh!
https://thehill.com …matic-people-could-spread

Better late than never - did he not listen to any of the news at the beginning of the year.

Lester Wareham wrote in post #19038950
Better late than never - did he not listen to any of the news at the beginning of the year.

Did he wear a gas mask to mock it too?

John Sheehy wrote in post #19038921
... I have the type that has an exhalation valve that bypasses the filter material, though. ....

Sadly, all of the ones I dropped off are the same. How can they get the n95 rating if the purge valve completely negates their effectiveness? (from a standpoint of spreading virus to others, and it makes sense that it would)

From CDC website FAQ;
https://www.cdc.gov …p/respirator-use-faq.html

Apricane wrote in post #19038885
Quite so... myself I'm just wondering this is presented by the media as something that is still unclear or inconclusive.

Health authorities are not dedicated to just telling objective truth. They have to manipulate things in favor of a model where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the individual, in the context of a mask shortage.

They will make wearing a mask by anyone other than a healthcare worker or someone already infected look futile at best, and possibly dangerous at worst.

You don't have to be a virologist to understand that a fabric of any type over the face will capture some of any droplets expelled or inhaled, and that a mask will stop you from putting your fingers on your mouth or nose, and that the presence of a mask will not increase the number of viable virus copies inhaled, exhaled, or floating in the air and landing on surfaces.

They do need to channel the PPEs towards the healthcare professionals, though, so they say what they say.

If there was no shortage or a threat of one, they would probably say to wear a mask, but not to lean too heavily on it, and still practice distancing.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19038954
Sadly, all of the ones I dropped off are the same. How can they get the n95 rating if the purge valve completely negates their effectiveness? (and i makes sense that it would)

Wow this is a good point, I guess the rating is only for inhalation, not the reverse.

Not exactly the same thing but:

Colour and underline added.

gjl711 wrote in post #19038869
On the positive side, gas prices were $1.35 a gallon this morning. I haven't seen prices that low since the 1970s

It hasn't been anywhere near that long since gas prices were that low. I remember gas prices around $1 a gallon in the late 90's here in California and Texas is usually cheaper.

There was some interesting bits about Taiwan on the news last night. They took it seriously due to their experience with SARS. They sent people to Wuhan in January to get the real real information. No one got off a plane without full screening pretty early in the game.

Kinda reminds me of the movie World War Z. The 10th man rule which I found interesting. The council had 10 advisors that looked into big picture issues. If the first 9 dismissed an issue or potential danger to the country, then the 10th man was forced to overrule them on principle and look into the issue no matter how far-fetched the scenario.

To be politically correct I should have said the 10th person rule. I just copied it off the internet.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #19038954
Sadly, all of the ones I dropped off are the same. How can they get the n95 rating if the purge valve completely negates their effectiveness? (from a standpoint of spreading virus to others, and it makes sense that it would)

From CDC website FAQ;
https://www.cdc.gov …p/respirator-use-faq.html

It's still a better option, I guess, than anything other than a non-valved n95 or higher mask (there are N99 masks, too, I've heard, but they are harder to breath through).

In a pinch, one could block the valve by plugging the hole on the inside, which is what I have decided I would do if I had symptoms myself, and the mask had to protect others from me.