Surgical Masks
 

I saw a few people wearing surgical masks at Walmart today. And, I checked Amazon and they have no masks for sale with Prime delivery. So, a lot of people are buying them. The CDC and other briefings on television seem to be continually advising people that, only sick people and health care workers, should be using masks to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. But, there are numerous health articles online that say masks can offer some protection to prevent healthy people from getting a virus. I am a skeptical person. It seems to me that, if you are travelling on an airplane, wearing a mask would provide some protection. At least, if you touch a surface with an active virus on it, having a mask on would remind you and prevent you from touching your mouth. I don't want to dispute the CDC, but I would feel safer wearing a mask on an airplane. Would anyone else?

I would not feel any safer. I am not buying a mask.

For a mask to provide any protection it has to to have completee coverage of nose and mouth. No gaps.
The majority of masks being sold are no better than holding a handkerchief to your face, in fact not as good.

If we have a shortage of masks and the healthcare providers can't get them, we are in real trouble.

Just yesterday the hospital my wife works at was custom fitting hospital personnel with N-95 masks. Then again we're pretty much the current epicenter of the virus in the U.S. I'm guessing it might already be too late for a good number of nurses but it might provide some measure of protection from spreading it.

That fitting is done yearly, medical people are exposed daily to whatever. One may not find out for a week or two, of the exposure.

They only remind you to stop touching your face and keep you from transferring germs by touching it. JetBlue sent me an email stating that they have brought in a doctor to advise them on how to keep the planes and the crew safer. They are increasing the cleaning and disinfecting of everything and on request will provide passengers with sanitizer and disinfecting wipes. Since this virus has more of an effect on older people you are bound to see more masks here, but unless they are sealed to their face they are useless. I've been trying to find hand sanitizer and wipes, but the stores are sold out as fast as they come in. I was given a recipe to make hand sanitizer that includes rubbing alcohol and aloe vera, and guess what? Yup those are empty spots on the store shelves as well. Washing your hands with soap is the best defense and do it often.

Not true.

I agree that health care workers NEED them...but stop trying to tell me that they will work for health care workers, but they won't work for me.

"having a mask on would remind you and prevent you from touching your mouth"

That seems to be the consensus.

N95 respirator masks will offer some protection . You can go to YouTube and learn how how healthcare workers are trained to wear them properly. If they did not protect you, why would healthcare workers wear them??
I bought mine at the end of January This coronavirus is coming to America and it hits people over 65 very very hard

consensus does not make fact..................check with CDC.


:ohdear:

Plane travel: Carry disinfectant wipes and wipe down everything you might touch (seat pockets, tray tables, armrests, etc.). Have antiseptic hand lotion and use if after the wipe down. Offer them to your seat mate as well. If possible, stay out of the toilets; if not, use same procedure with wipes and lotion. Air is probably safe (at least the aircraft ventilation). Most are HEPA filtered and the air is bleed air from the engines. If someone sneezes / coughs, the particles can travel 6 ft. or more if not captured in a tissue or handkerchief. All airlines have implemented increased cleaning procedures but not completely thorough. Masks (even N-95 non custom) serve little purpose except with those already infected to help prevent spread. The primary mode of transmission is touching a contaminated surface and then your nose, mouth, eyes, etc.). The regular Flu this year is primarily an influenza B strain and is more potent than the more typical influenza A strain. Currently much more widespread than COVID 19 worldwide. Travel safe.

Again if n95 masks don’t protect you, why is their a shortage for healthcare workers. They protect them if used properly and you can be trained to wear them properly like I have

Over 18,000 have died in the US from the flu this year. The sky is falling.

:bigbow:

Exactly.


Most bozo's on the street don't.

I bought two N95 masks, in case I get sick and have to go to a doctor or hospital.

Well. It seems obvious to me that if Amazon isn't carrying something, how can there be a need for it?

I bought Sonos wipes years ago because I was flying so much and getting colds when traveling. The wipes ended that. We also wipe down hotel rooms and cruise cabins. I also carry hand sanitizer when traveling.

The Sonos are great because, unlike most wipes, they kill viruses. I’ve heard that the tray tables are the most-important things to wipe down, but I clean everything I might touch. You need to let it dry for a few minutes for full effectiveness.

It’s not surprising that they are currently sold out, but here’s the link for Amazon:

SONO Travel Safe Medical Grade Disinfecting Wipes for Airplanes, Cruise Ships, Gyms, Schools, Offices, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Toilets, CPAP Masks and Machines, Vinyl Upholstery, Cell Phones (3 Pack) Robot Check

The flu has already killed more people this year than the coronavirus. You are much better off keeping your hands clean. The mask won’t keep you from touching your eyes or when you are taking it off and putting it on. Health care workers wear them for two reasons, yes to minimize their chance of getting it due to the volume of sick people they may see, but more importantly not transfer it to all the people they see if they themselves get it (takes awhile for symptoms to show). Same reason surgeons wear them, to keep the patient safe. Minimize your contact with others if you’re really worried, and wash, wash, wash, your hands.

16,000 people have died from the flu this season, so far. Yet hardly anyone seems to be worried about the flu! Why? That is just in the U.S.

No, not flying & breathing all the germs in. Imagine being quarantined on the tarmac for 2 weeks? No. Thank. You. Lol.

You don't "have" to use aloe vera gel. The gel is just what you mix it with so that the alcohol isn't so drying to your skin. You can use pure rubbing alcohol; you'll just have shrivelled fingers (which you can then add moisturizer to).

Why don't you already have a bottle of rubbing alcohol in your house? I just assumed everyone had one in the bathroom cabinet.

Yes I would want one on a plane.

Ohiobuckeye
 

I guess it's a matter of choice but I guess it would be a little protection. Me personally I don't want to look like I'm from China. It's just a little to much for me because you could get Coronavirus just touching products at the store or if someone sneezes & that person that sneezes is up wind from you, you could walk right into their infection 15 ft. away. You couldn't eat in restaurants because you would have to eat from their utensils, touch the bill to pay, touch the door to leave or come in. It's just a little to much for me to wear a mask. I would be so paranoid that I couldn't use my hands again. Me myself I just wash my hands all the time but I still could catch it. But if you don't mind wearing a mask where one but that really doesn't mean you couldn't catch the virus. But it would help some I guess!

Ohiobuckeye
 

I'm one of those bozo's that don't. But if a person that has Coronovirus walks by you & somehow you catch the virus, you like me, wouldn't be name calling, I personally would be PO'd that I didn't wear a mask. I really think if you're going to catch the virus, you'll catch it even if you have the whole Coronavirus suit on, because all you have to do is have one little slip up!

Plain surgical masks are different than N-95 masks
 

It's not that masks will work for one and not the other... There is a difference between the plain paper surgical mask and the N-95. The function of the paper mask would only be to remind YOU not to touch your face. Masks that the healthcare providers are being fitted for are "form-fitted" to your face and can filter viruses.

Yep.. Where my wife works all nurses are now wearing fitted N-95's and if they're treating a COVID-19 positive patient they have to wear a PAPR..

Just think about all the hundreds different things we touch every single day.

If you're cruising.. lol
Attachment 83131

In health care that mask is changed multiple times. TB is one reason it’s used, along with special gowns. Do they protect the medical staff, most of the time. But even if you are using mask correctly you change mask multiple times. It is a one and done. Why does medical personnel wear them, cause it’s mandatory.
Does it keep you safe, not all the time. For years most skipped the mask, and still live to tell. You will find medical personal don’t panic about such things.

As a kid I survived WW2 bombing of London, later, IRA bombings of London, mlitary service, Asian flu. Spanish flu, Flu flu, several broken bones, a dodgy parachute, most of the scares on Mr Helpful's post, all the 'Man Colds' nature has thrown at me, plus my Sainted Mothers cooking, yet 80+years later, I am still here!
But I must say that I get a bit paranoid sometimes, that something out there is trying to get me!

Wear gloves if you want to reduce touching your face or eyes. You will notice if you do. Also, scrub like a nurse if you are safety oriented. Scrub and wash hair if it is long or swings in your face. The best thing you can do is stay healthy and strong and minimize transfer of the virus. Fly when you are healthy and stay hydrated. N95 masks need to be properly fitted to be effective and they are ridiculously expensive for a disposable. Let the pros and well trained overexposed folks use them. You can use many other means to stay healthy. Good luck!

Hmmm... N95 mask $8.99 on Amazon, I use it just to go to the basement to do work up north.

Very short video, but very funny and also sad.

Twitter

My sister-in-law is a nurse in NY. The boxes of masks that came in for them to use were all stolen. People are getting out of control.

If the virus can enter from a mucus membrane, a mask will do you very little good, your eyes are open..... Panic and fear . Children and elderly are always more likely to get viruses. How many die each year from the flu?

Why not look into boosting your immune system. Also, think about staying away from crowds when possible and remember, SICK people go to doctors, walk ins, and hospitals so guess what you could get there?

None of this is new to any one , just a new panic and fear mode. Yes, this is a problem and it could get bad but guess what, next year will be a new issue.

Something to think about, your immune system (mainly kids). Is this what you get when you teach a generation not to touch anything or play in the dirt because you could get sick ? "Don't touch that, you don't know who touched it."

What happened to the Indians long ago?... They got sick and died. From what? What was introduced to them from others.

Something to think about when ordering things online. Do you pop the airbags and bubble wrap in packaging? ....Where did the air in them come from ? LOL!! When you open the box, whom packed it and did they wash their hands? ... LOL !!
Shipping today is fast.... Fear and panic.... :boxing2:

Thanks. Better to be an alive alarmist than a dead denier