Posted on 02/25/2020 9:25:59 AM PST by DannyTN
The U.S. does not have enough facemasks or ventilators stockpiled to deal with threats of coronavirus spreading, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., asked Azar if the U.S. had enough facemasks stockpiled after he said the administration was seeking additional coronavirus funding "to support the acquisition of personal protective equipment, especially masks, into the strategic national stockpile."
CORONAVIRUS PROMPTS FDA TO DETAIL SCREENING OF CHINESE-MADE PRODUCTS
"Well, of course not, or we wouldn't be asking for a supplemental to seek more money," Azar said.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Enough supplies? ........... Yesterday I was at FedEx dropping off. There was a lady shipping off 25 double-box cases of 1,000 “Procedure masks”, that is, medical face masks. ........... Curious, I asked where they were going. She said “Back to China.” She explained that she was collecting face masks from “all over town” and shipping them back to China. ............ I asked what our hospitals would be doing for face masks. She said that the hospitals and clinics in the area were “asked” to send back all their inventory except for a 6 months supply. ............ She said that she had already made 4 trips to FedEx that day and as I left FedEx after some time I saw her arrive with another load. The clerk at FedEx said their trucks were all busy making pick ups of masks. ............... Hmm...... Who “asked” our medical businesses to give up their supplies? With such urgency? ............ Is this happening all over the US? ............. If the bug spreads here, will our remaining “6 month” supply be enough? ........... I don’t trust the CDC statement.
1 posted on 2/22/2020, 10:05:58 AM by gandalftb
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste.”
-Rahm Emanuel, former Obama WH Chief of Staff
Yeah, uh huh, and did we have enough during obamy or Bush? If we did, then who stole them between times, huh? If we didn’t then who/who all the heck failed their duty?
Sure, this is on Trump’s watch but he can’t follow every gazillion government employee around making sure they’re doing their jobs. Though he might have noticed this if the demonrats hadn’t followed him around 24/7 yelling about Russia.
Someone on another thread said they’d received an email about their mask order stating the government had taken possession of all the company’s masks so the order couldn’t be filled. That’s good and well someone is maybe trying to rectify the shortage but that’s not helping the little people today.
This is happening all over North America, and likely in Europe as well. Chinese immigrants who still have family in China, are completely panicked by this situation. You can’t find a mask in my part of the world as they’ve all been bought up and shipped back to China. What the hospitals are doing to prepare, and what stockpiles are in the supply chain, is a complete unknown.
My goodness...Buy a damn sheet and cut it up.
It’s also long past time to shut down the border. And the flights to all Asian countries along the Pacific. And that includes Pacific cruises. And cargo from those countries.
And to start testing suspect cases. And to fix those faulty tests. And to kick butt in the CDC for all their stupidity (see my tagline or because they admitted today the microbes are tinier than they first said). And find out why so many CDC (Cunningham) and other virus and vaccine scientists have ended up dead or missing. And, and, and...
Many replies to my ping are saying the same thing.
...........
I understand that 95% of all masks in the world are made in China.
Avoid large groups and gatherings .
Some supplies can be had at pharmacies, hardware stores, and Harbor Freight.
N-95 face masks (respirators), eye ware (goggles) protect the mucous membrane areas where viral particulate are likely to settle.
Wash your hand regularly and religiously with soap, even when there is no apparent need.
Make it a habit, especially after you have been out in the community.
Invest in anti-influenza medications (cough, diarrhea, fever medications, toilet tissue, kleenex,etc)
Have enough pantry supplies and canned goods for 3 or 4 weeks, and include water supplies as raw rice, without broth or water, lacks flavor.
Clean water , or bottled water can be used for cooking and for hygiene; plan for the number of people in your care, including animals and pets.
If you live in a multiple unit apartment building, you should be even on higher alert than others.
If the building uses 'common air and heating ducts' or chases, and someone in your building gets the flu,
you should get duct tape, and plastic sheeting to restrict air circulation ingress (to cover air vents).
Isolation and sanitation is your friend in when the issue of infectious diseases is your concern.
Thanks.
What people fail to consider, for object sterilization, such as surfaces and doorknobs, is a portable battery-powered UV wand, such as:
https://www.amazon.com/Verilux-CleanWave-Portable-Sanitizing-Travel/dp/B00144I3ZU/ref=sr_1_5
I have one of these.
Paging Captain Obvious.
On January 5th I looked up masks on Amazon. Even with only a few hundred cases in China they were so out...you could only buy them in boxes of 1,000. I should have done it.
Patty Murray is a POS freak.
You clearly do not understand how our healthcare system is run. They are ‘just in time”, just like a manufacturer. This time of year a normal hospital is working through their supply as the flu season ends. The supply chain bean counters would never allow a hospital to overstock.
Guess what? Flu season ain’t ending this year.
There are you tube videos on how to make them.
Thank you for the rational response. Last week I was adding an extra item to shopping. Already have all items; just a few more as back up. Normal prep-type things.
What people fail to realize is that viral particulates can remain viable on surfaces for several hours.
I have read, although unsubstantiated, that sometimes, depending on temp and humidity, this viability can be as long as 9 hours.
My apartment neighbor, who works in hospital pulmonary ICU, always took off her shoes and left them in the common hallway.
Apparently she was trained to not bring possible contaminants into her living area, and would shed her clothes immediately after arrival
and would wash her clothes separate from her children's clothing.
All of this to protect herself and her family from possible contaminants.
Don’t believe the hype. I work in the ER of a local hospital here in southern NJ. They go through facemasks and ventilators like nothing. No one is concerned about a shortage of anything.
Spray them with alcohol.....91% or better
I think (or at least I hope) you forgot your sarcasm tag.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.