covid information

[Minivanmotoman]

IMHO, self made masks are the only personal protection available or possible. Along with hand and body covering of course.
I fabricated 2 of my own masks from outer t shirt and inner allergen furnace filter layer, and here is the main problem with masks.

Air Seal leakage from around the seal of the mask to the face. Having had previous experience with NIOSH masks, this is always a challenge and difficult to get and keep an air tight seal on a mask. Air expelled tends to want to exit via the path of least resistance. Wherever that may be around the nose, cheeks or chin. It must be pulled and held tight to ones face which is difficult to maintain and uncomfortable.

And for all you ladies and gentlemen with a beard, always advised to shave it off as it's impossible to seal with facial hair fyi.

Did my Walmart supply run today and my mask kept allowing exhaled air to take the path of least resistance up around nose and fog my glasses.
Insufficient seal around the nose, even with my glasses pushing down on it. This made me question the effectiveness of my mask.

The N65 masks have an exhale flap that opens allowing expelled air to easily escape maintaining a positive seal around the face when inhaling. These are designed with allot of engineering and development considering their affordable price.
Tough to duplicate at home satisfactorily.

Really, limit/eliminate exposure to anyone and their breathing, stay up wind from all, and run like hell away! from all humanity is the only real choice.
Infection is chasing us all socially...
Hoping this awareness helps us all.

 

[Qxxx]

Did my Walmart supply run today and my mask kept allowing exhaled air to take the path of least resistance up around nose and fog my glasses.
Insufficient seal around the nose, even with my glasses pushing down on it. This made me question the effectiveness of my mask.

I should think that, for a homemade mask that leaks as you indicated, you could add some foam or extra material around the upper edge to prevent your breath from escaping that way, and pulling external air in. Better masks probably all have a way to conform the upper edge for different nose shapes.

Also, you could extend the mask material downwards inside your shirt, and add a foam-lined channel so your breath goes down towards your chest. You will notice that some people have masks that make them almost look like medieval plague personnel.

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66476294/1211557861.jpg.0.jpg

In regards comments about overkill, well that's criticizing the wrong end. We should all be engaging in maximum overkill.

 

[maki2]

my comments regarding overkill was strictly related to washing the cloth masks. What I said was that washing a cloth mask with soap and water was sufficient for the purpose of killing virus. The soap will destroy the virus, let the mask soak in the soapy water for 5 or more minutes. Add a bit of bleach to the water if you wish to. Follow the recommendation on the bottle of bleach for dilution.

Stay safe, find things to do that make you happy. It looks like nice weather ahead for the next week here in Seattle. I will be taking advantage of it by working on my build.

 

[Qxxx]

Ran across a new map, showing covid spread in fine detail by county.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html

If that page is blocked for some reason, an echo is shown here towards the bottom.

https://www.businessinsider.com/cor...e-risen-over-time-since-the-outbreak-began-11

 

[maki2]

I was going through the shelves where I keep my tools and found another N95 mask. Now I have two Since I don't go shopping everyday I can just switch between them and let them decontaminate naturally. I have a place to hang them to air out and dry, a place that is out of the way, not in my living space and also is not dusty. That will last me through until the stay-at-home order is over.

 

[Qxxx]

For those following this bit, some info on 60 therapeutic methods being tested.

https://www.genengnews.com/virology...coronavirus-top-60-treatments-in-development/

That page has been updated, and now mentions 160 differerent therapies in test.

https://www.genengnews.com/a-lists/...9-drug-and-vaccine-candidates-in-development/

 

[badmotorscooter]

I'm getting one of these, it's on sale!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/APOLLO-SPA...516410?hash=item23d53ec67a:g:qYkAAOSwNuxXYE8W

My decontamination chamber is almost complete too!

 

[crofter]

And its got that trendy arm patch. Good find.   -crofter

 

[Qxxx]

I was watching the news, and they gave some info on what "flattening the curve" actually means. So I looked it up further online.
https://www.vox.com/2020/3/15/21180342/coronavirus-covid-19-us-social-distancing

The page has some basic info and links, but the comment by Kucharski says it all very clearly, and his numbers closely match what the newscast said ....
"Early in outbreak, each COVID-19 case infects ~2.5 others on average. There's ~5 days between one infection and next, so we'd expect one case to lead to 2.5^6 = 244 more cases in a month. If we can halve transmission, so each infects 1.25 others instead, we'd expect 4 more cases".

Scaling this up and without any flattening, just 16 people would infect about 4000 others in a month, and which scales to 1,000,000 in 2 months.

But with halving as indicated, 16 people would infect only about (16x4x4 or) 256 people in 2 months.
(if my math is off, please correct).

 

[badmotorscooter]

Where do they get this math from? The protocol for getting sick in most states calls for staying home and doing self quarantine and not to go to the hospital unless serious complications/issues arise.

How many people are actually getting sick then? How contagious is the Covid 19 virus? What is the actual percentage of deaths?

How could any agency or group of doctors/experts even begin to figure this out not even having a crude estimation of the actual people stricken ill?

How can they put these numbers out like they are actually based on factual statistics and are anywhere near accurate/realistic?

This is guesswork at best and should not be presented as scientific/medical fact.

Not saying we shouldn't take precautions and be prepared. Just saying nobody has a real handle on the numbers and particulars and they shouldn't act like they do... This information (or misinformation?) should be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[bullfrog]

I don't think any state has met the 14 day requirement of having fewer cases in Stage I of opening. Infection rates are anybodies guess but even here in Utah with what testing they have done we continue to have new infections and since you still must at least have a symptom to test that means you may have been contagious for several days without even knowing not to mention all those with mild cases wandering around unaware they have it. Until positive test results are down and no new cases are found that cannot tracked I'm staying in self isolation as much as possible, wearing a mask if needed, carrying my 6' walking stick with the pointy nail in the end I use to pick up trash and gloves/washing hands when touching surfaces I haven't disinfected. I sort of hope those that don't go quickly and don't take too many with them especially the caregivers and first responders.

 

[Qxxx]

This is guesswork at best and should not be presented as scientific/medical fact.

Did you even look at the article? It was written on March 15 and describing how epidemics spread, and the sort of measures that can be taken to cut down the spread, namely social distancing and hygiene. As clearly stated, the numbers presented were based upon early data about the "observed rate of spread", and how it could be slowed down. That there was the frigging point, how you slow it down, and what happens if you don't.

But for that matter, you can see what actually happened in the past 2 months for yerself. See the curve for "Total Coronavirus Cases in the United States", below the table. See how the curve bends upwards. That's the math of how epidemics grow, slow at first, then wham.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/

Of course the numbers on the graph likely "underestimate" the actual counts.
- Feb 15: 15 cases.
- Mar 16: 4,604 cases.
- Apr 16: 677,501 cases.

Now compare these numbers to what Kucharski said, and what I posted last time. Do the math ... 100% right on. Feb 15 to Mar 16, no containment. Mar 16 to Apr 16, some containment.

 

[crofter]

So far the statistics in AZ are not bad, as long as you are not one of the statistics. However if you become one of the statistics, then that's bad.   
-crofter

 

[bullfrog]

Now we know we can isolate and survive it would be even better if we knew the caregivers and first responders had the best and plentiful amounts personal protective equipment with few enough patients to manage to not get infected themselves and testing so they could be assured they are not spreading the disease to their loved ones if and when they finally get to go home. As long as new cases develop in such numbers as to create shortages of these necessities we have no right to add to this problem by trying to make a dollar and in the process spreading the disease. The very rich in this country and other countries that have gotten very rich off America need to give back to help stop this virus and find solutions to the situations that caused it to be so devastating, after all it is in their best interest. Waiting until new cases numbers can be manageable, supposably for at least 14 days under Stage 1 guidelines which no state has done so far before attempting to allow opening should be common sense and required required nationally. Protecting workers that provide bare minimum services to maintain life as in health, food, water, trash removal etc. should be the highest priority not recreation or beauty for those they risk their lives to serve.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I think it is kinda funny that Georgia is reopening gyms and hair salons in order to save businesses, I would like to know who would sit in a hair salon or go to a gym in the middle of a pandemic? I would think to reopen a business with no customers would be more expensive then keeping it closed.

 

[GypsyJan]

I was shocked at the number of people thinking salons should be considered essential businesses. It seems some people go more than once a month and are desperate to get their groomers back working. I plan to pretend the lockdown has not been lifted and remain isolated until the numbers drop drastically.

 

[PODebbie]

I know the flu kills many people, but it is not the same as the coronavirus. Here is a link for the flu statistics for Michigan for 2018:https://www.mdch.state.mi.us/osr/deaths/DXCause113.asp#Diseases of heart It shows that in 2018, the flu was responsible for 346 deaths, and pneumonia 1525 deaths. The flu season is either 5 or 6 months. We have lost 2700 people in a 30 day period from the coronavirus.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/ This link shows that Michigan had 33,000 cases, 2700 deaths, and 232 deaths on 4/21

https://www.oakgov.com/covid/casesByZip.html This link shows that my city has 237 active cases and 18 deaths There are 3 zips in my city.

My girlfriend (African-American) lost 4 family members, one while I was talking to her on the phone. I retired from the Postal Service. The facility I worked at has at least 7 people infected. I don't know if they are still working or if they are retired.

One of the cashiers at the Kroger I shop at has died.

This is real. If you live in a city, or suburban neighborhood you will eventually see these types of numbers once you are out of isolation.

 

[jacqueg]

I think it is kinda funny that Georgia is reopening gyms and hair salons in order to save businesses, I would like to know who would sit in a hair salon or go to a gym in the middle of a pandemic? I would think to reopen a business with no customers would be more expensive then keeping it closed.

Some people only learn the hard way. 

I think that operating a business when your customers and your workers are literally making each other sick is not a sound economic proposition.

 

[Qxxx]

California does not have the horrific problems as some other states. April 22, the Governor laid out plans for what they plan to do down the road. In effect, mimicking what is being done in China ...

(1) greatly increased testing.
(2) following up with extensive contact tracing on anyone who tests positive.
(3) opening many more testing centers and hiring personnel across the state to do this.

Click on:
"KQED News Special
Gov Newsom on Coronavirus Pandemic"
https://www.kqed.org/radio

 

[WanderingRose]

As the weather warms, I have envisioned getting my hair cut in a chair in the driveway of my hairdressers, both of us masked and gloved and my and other clients not going inside her salon reducing almost to zero the risk of getting or transmitting the coronavirus.   :s

I’m not desperate, yet, but could use a trim.

I remind myself, however, that in the great scheme of things needing a haircut is not that big of a deal.