Replies

I think it is a bad idea. The mask, strap glue and straps will break down.

My family has had to create a protocol for this. Wife is a MD, sister-in-law is a triage nurse and others will have direct exposure.

My wife will begin to wear scrubs again with her lab coat. We've replaced the knob entry from the garage with a lever. Her scrubs come off and strait into the washer. PPE into the trash. After that she will head to the shower.

We have an ozone unit for her car and disinfectant for rails and knobs.

There is the possibility she will still pick it up at work, however reducing the exposure keeps her safer and the house clean.

After working out the plans we realized every family member will need to follow the same protocol if it becomes endemic to the area.

The time necessary is minimal, however habits are the hardest things to change. For instance, not touching your face.

I think everyone should plan the same and game it. Just assume everything you contact are fomites. The intent of the planning is to keep your home free of viral infection.

If a family member becomes sick, we have planned for that too.

We did not plan for shortages of PPE supplies. That is why we are looking at sterilization of respirators. You would be surprised how few hospitals have prepared for this or have supplies on hand. Many administrators are becoming nervous.

Now something that may seem cynical. The Affordable Care Act is the worst thing that ever happened to medicine. With EPIC this created a situation where we no longer have health care, we have insurance care with insurance companies running many hospitals. The insurance companies have not planned for an epidemic and from what we have seen locally will just replace medical staff with other bodies if they become ill. The insurance companies have EPIC and any warm body can enter the codes.

I was in a meeting, the other day, and EVERYONE reached to shake each others hands, upon entering the conference room. I did NOT, and everyone understood.

I looked around the room, during the meeting, and noticed how often people touched their faces....noses (a LOT!), mouths, eyes, etc. It was non-stop.

What really got me was the guy who was passing out the presentations was touchihg his nose the most :(

I didn’t pick up my copy, and said I’d read the emailed version.

Another thing about 0bama*Care*....isn’t this when the just in time policies went into high gear? Stocking just enough supplies for a month, etc? Then, these companies (like Cardinal) were to be the ‘storage’ centers. I wonder how many months supplies these suppliers actually keep on hand.

I imagine we’ve allowed China to not only be our manufacturer, but our “storage provider” as well.

The UV lights and/or O3 generator is my plan for the masks. Although I need to review things - the O3 will degrade rubber (like the rubber bands for the paper masks, or the rubber on my half masks). I can’t recall about the UV lights, although I think that is why I bought them as they won’t destroy the rubber.

The O3 is also bad on latex gloves and will destroy them.

One doctor was saying that just over time the rubber bands get too worthless to hold the mask tight. Perhaps grab a big bag of rubber bands at Staples?

We did not plan for shortages of PPE supplies. That is why we are looking at sterilization of respirators. You would be surprised how few hospitals have prepared for this or have supplies on hand. Many administrators are becoming nervous.
*************************************************************************************
I’m just wondering-Could your typical N95 mask be sterilized by using ozone? We have about 20 N95 and 20 surgical left from 2014 and never had to use. I had been wondering if they could be sterilized in case we would need more.

I rarely go out during the winter. Hubby makes a run for Bread and Milk and fresh vegetables and fruits about once a week. If we get cases within 50 miles we plan to just stay home.

I don’t plan on using masks unless one of us is sick.