Posted on 03/31/2020 3:09:54 PM PDT by familyop
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, revealed on Tuesday that White House coronavirus task force is seriously considering guidance that all Americans wear masks to help thwart the disease's spread.
But Fauci also acknowledged that such a directive has been complicated by the nationwide dearth of personal protective equipment.
"The idea of getting a much more broad, community-wide use of masks outside of the health care setting is under very active discussion at the task force. The CDC group is looking at that very carefully," Fauci told CNN.
"The thing that has inhibited that a bit is to make sure that we don't take away the supply of masks from the health care workers who need them," he continued. "But once we get in a situation where we have enough masks, I believe there will be some very serious consideration about more broadening this recommendation of using masks."
Fauci cautioned that "we're not there yet," but said he believed the task force was "close to coming to some determination" on whether to expand the administration's recommended mitigation measures to include masks.
"Because if, in fact, a person who may or may not be infected wants to prevent infecting someone else, one of the best ways to do that is with a mask. So perhaps that's the way to go," he said, adding that the subject was "under very active consideration" and would be raised at the task force's meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Some public health experts, including former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner and informal administration adviser Scott Gottlieb, have suggested that encouraging the wearing of masks in public could help curb the rapid rate of COVID-19 infection in the United States, .
President Donald Trump on Monday said he had taken note of the proposal, outlined in a recent report Gottlieb co-authored, and that it could be possible that Americans will be directed to wear masks "for a short period of time."
"We'll take a look at it. For a period of time, not forever. I mean, you know, we want our country back. We're not going to be wearing masks forever," Trump said at the task force's daily press briefing.
The president also told reporters that "we're getting certainly the number of masks that you'd need" to implement the guidance — an assessment which Fauci appeared to disagree with on Tuesday.
"You don't want to take masks away from the health care providers who are in a real and present danger of getting infected," he said. "That would be the worst thing we do. If we have them covered, then you could look back and say, 'Maybe we need to broaden this.'"
bkmk
My ‘business’ already does; but it’s routine stuff for a lot of people in my line.
It’s not such a big deal. I think a lot of people are just worried that they’ll look ‘funny’. As more people use them, it will come to seem normal. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen increasing numbers wearing them in the stores, or just walking in the street. Nobody looks twice at them, now.
“I think that if things became really hot, you’d take any color you could get.”
True. I bought a pack for each of us, I think six per pack and they are washable. Doubt my husband will be down with wearing a mask, though.
Yep, and we need to never forget that.
What a coincidence, front end Bailout, back end Stimulus Bailout (to same), complete. Now everyone else back to indenturment, masks gloves people everywhere OK now. Coast is clear
Washable is a good idea.
Making your own is useful, too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liWJIJWHqCw
(Men can be very silly about some things...but I’d rather deal with that, than do without them :-)
All Quiet on the Western Front
All Quiet on the Western Front
Yep
In the meantime, you're going to do what?
Nothing?
And until we can do that, what do you propose?
I see a lot of armchair quarter backs who are saying that we ought to be doing this or that, but fail to offer any practical suggestions on how to do that yet.
How do YOU propose we find out who's carrying the antibodies?
How fast do you realistically think that kind of test can be developed?
And in the meantime, until we are there, what do YOU propose people do?
I won’t be wearing a mask for *everyday life*.
When I am home I will NOT wear one.
When I go out I will only if I need to go into a building.
But outside for a walk or gardening or talking to the neighbor across the fence? Forget it.
believe it or not, your eyes are the main route after you sticking your own dirty hands in your mouth.
Be sensible. Limit activities to what honestly can’t be avoided. Be diligent, take extra care to protect vulnerable persons. Which would certainly merit wearing a mask in their presence.
Not to mention picking my nose.
PS. I am concerned that the fatalism that seems to be underlying some of the pronouncements by health authorities such as Dr. Fauci(sp) may have the opposite of the desired outcome. People may decide that it is futile to even practice the simplest of precautions. That would certainly be unfortunate.
Your nose might actually have it then you transfer it to your mouth. It was somewhat safe till you disturbed it.
I've been taking flak for saying this because many can't grasp that the masks have one 'sweet spot" of efficacy - keeping a sick person from spraying others...
Today’s topic so far is “masks”.
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