Picture of the Day: Red Cross Handing Out Masks in South Korea
Officials at the Korean National Red Cross prepare sanitary masks for the needy at its headquarters in Seoul on Feb. 3, 2020, in this photo provided by the organization. (Yonhap)
Officials at the Korean National Red Cross prepare sanitary masks for the needy at its headquarters in Seoul on Feb. 3, 2020, in this photo provided by the organization. (Yonhap)
CDC guidance reads: DO NOT wear masks.
This guidance was promulgated to everyone in PACOM today.
Mask manufacturers, pharmacies and black marketeers are loving the Asian propensity for masks.
CDC guidance reads: DO NOT wear masks.
I’m wondering how not wearing a mask would be more helpful in preventing infection than wearing one.
Liz, wearing a mask does not prevent transmission of the virus to eyes or skin. Not washing hands properly is probably the greatest source of infection. Touch a dirty item, touch mouth, nose, or eyes. Touch a dirty item, touch food that one eats. Etc.
The new, threatening coronavirus is very similar to those that cause the common cold–with the same infection vectors. Use the same precautions.
Now, those already infected with the virus should wear masks; but just so they spew less infected mucus and saliva at the rest of us when they cough and sneeze…
While it is true that hand washing is most important. And for true prevention droplet ppe (personal protective equipment) precautions would apply (including full coverage of skin, eyes, hair), for the CDC to recommend NOT wearing a mask that should indicate actual harm via wearing the mask, as compared to not.
I don’t see how that figures.
Now chinese communist party has directed that officials go door to door to take everyone’s temperature, complete idiots. Perfect way to spread the virus.
I read that masks do not block the virus, due to their filter size being (relatively) massive… but they do create a warm, moist environment for the virus to thrive in prior to being inhaled.
Of course, in war, truth is the first casualty.
So I have no idea.
I simply find it prudent to avoid all varieties of gooks, especially chinks, anybody who has been on a death ship marketed as a cruise, and those who are coughing or staggering around complaining of a high fever.
I also avoid ordering anything raw at Batz & Sneks Grill.
Fortune cookies are presumed to be high risk, especially if damp.
I avoid Mexican beer and I stopped fapping to Corona-chan.
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/corona-chan/photos/page/3?infinite=true&spots_shown=6&offsetter_id=1731155
I have it under control.
While I can’t attach the pdf, here is a cut & paste. I too thought it counterintuitive not to wear a mask.
What You Should Do
Stay informed – CDC is updating its website daily with the latest information and advice for the public. (www.cdc/ncov)
Remember to take everyday preventive actions that are always recommended to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.
Avoid close contact with sick people.
While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible.
Stay home if you are sick.
Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Germs spread this way.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol.
If you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and have traveled to China or were in close contact with someone with 2019-nCoV in the 14 days before you began to feel sick, seek medical care. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.
What You Should Not Do
Do not travel to China.
Do not use facemasks. CDC does not recommend the use of facemasks for
the general public to prevent the spread of 2019-nCoV.
Do not show prejudice to people of Asian descent, because of fear of this
new virus. Do not assume that someone of Asian descent is more likely to have 2019-nCoV.
And the gate guards at Hickam are now wearing surgical gloves to check IDs.
I read that masks do not block the virus, due to their filter size being (relatively) massive… but they do create a warm, moist environment for the virus to thrive in prior to being inhaled.
But all viruses are smaller than the filter size of the mask. The viruses are suspended in fluid particles and that is what shouldn’t be able to get through…usually there’s a different type of mask for airborne precautions (TB). TB particles (mycobacterium) are massive compared to viruses, but their suspensions are lighter, and require a better filter.
Or something.
At any rate, I’ve never heard of droplet precautions that required a different filter for the mask. I’ve only used the high-filter mask for TB patients in the past. Of course, I’ve been out of the biz for a while.
Just glad to be on this side of the pond. Knock on wood (sorry for you folks who are over there).
And I’ll stay away from Mexican beer, CH. 😆
Sooo… as I understand by consulting the biology geeks down the hall…
When an infected person sneezes or flushes a toilet or whatever, the virus goes into the air.
The popular surgical/cloth/etc masks that everyone is wearing trap the large droplets coming out of an infected person… which is a good thing to reduce their contamination potential… but they don’t really do much for incoming contamination except make the wearer feel more secure… not well sealed around the sides and 5 micron filter at best. Coronavirus is .1 micron. Studies also show they provide a moist breeding ground for other infection when used improperly… which is how almost everyone is using them.
A more expensive industrial-grade mask (M95) such as medical workers are using with proper fit and training will filter out 95% of .3 micron particles… so that is much better.
But we don’t see Asia running around with $10 M95 masks worn in the correct way for the correct amount of effective time… measured in hours, not days before their filter capacity mechanically breaks down.
Of course the virus is attached to massive particles and droplets that cannot make it through either mask… and with that in mind, consider the outside of your mask to be a highly contaminated surface.
But as these droplets evaporate, they become smaller and smaller and smaller… and stay in the air for hours… and shrink to below 5 microns where they go right through all the crappy security blanket masks being worn all over Asia.
Bonus: A dusty dirty environment is actually GOOD… as airborne viruses clump into particles too large to go through filters even after evaporation. Pollution! Is there anything it can’t do?
So. Yes. There are masks that can help protect against coronavirus (MOPP5 anyone?). But nobody on the street is using those masks.
And the mask becomes less of an issue when everyone is walking around with unprotected eyes acting as a landing zone for any size of particle or droplet.
There are lots of papers online explaining all this with sciency stuff like math and experiment. There are also a lot of incomplete and misleading dumbed down pop science pieces written by reporters with journalism degrees who do not fully understand either “the facts or the issues”.
But everyone agrees the masks everyone is wearing offer little protection other than somewhat reducing the ability of the infected to infect others.
But as these droplets evaporate, they become smaller and smaller and smaller… and stay in the air for hours… and shrink to below 5 microns where they go right through all the crappy security blanket masks being worn all over Asia.
I hadn’t thought of that. Interesting.
Thanks for the down low, CH!
Just for the record: Whenever the inevitable vaccine does come out…I ain’t taking it.
“Face mask and hand sanitizer hoarders face $42,108 fine and up to 2 years in prison under new South Korean law amid coronavirus spread”
https://www.businessinsider.com/face-mask-hand-sanitizer-hoarders-south-korea-2020-2
Well, for hand sanitizer hoarders they can start with the PX and commissary employees on US bases here. That stuff disappeared off the shelves with the first news of the virus and hasn’t returned since.
Also, Korea says won’t expand travel ban areas despite there being at least 3 more epicenters in China. Commie moon is a fool, endangering all of Korea with his allegiance to communist china.
I heard that hand sanitzer and masks are by the cashier and you have to ask for them. Limited to 1 per person. The masks aren’t even good 3M respirators but some crap KF94 ones.
Hasn’t been my experience.