Posted on 04/30/2020 6:21:17 AM PDT by sickoflibs
With medical supplies in high demand, federal authorities say health workers can wear surgical masks for protection while treating COVID-19 patients but growing evidence suggests the practice is putting workers in jeopardy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said lower-grade surgical masks are an acceptable alternative to N95 masks unless workers are performing an intubation or another procedure on a COVID patient that could unleash a high volume of virus particles.
Americas health care workers are dying from the coronavirus pandemic. These are some of the first tragic cases.
But scholars, nonprofit leaders and former regulators in the specialized field of occupational safety say relying on surgical masks which are considerably less protective than N95 respirators is almost certainly fueling illness among front-line health workers, who likely make up about 11% of all known COVID-19 cases.
Theres no doubt in my mind that thats one of the reasons that so many health care workers are getting sick and many are dying, said Jonathan Rosen, a health and safety expert who advises unions, states and the federal government.
(Excerpt) Read more at ohiocapitaljournal.com ...
Thanks but I’m not looking for a mask to ‘protect me’. You go right ahead.
No doubt about it.
CDC is clearly telling us that the cloth coverings are to block some of the droplets of those wearing them, not protect the wearer. That's why it's still 6 feet.
But you can tell by people's behavior that they think its protecting THEM.
Like when they see you are going to pass them walking face to face and they pull them up over nose and mouth, they do that for themselves,
CDC is clearly telling us that the cloth coverings are to block some of the droplets of those wearing them, not protect the wearer. That’s why it’s still 6 feet.
But you can tell by people’s behavior that they think its protecting THEM.
Like when they see you are going to pass them walking face to face and they pull them up over nose and mouth, they do that for themselves,
In MD we are ordered to wear them in stores that are allowed open.
But I see people pulling them down to their neck once inside the store. Occasionally an employee has his around his neck.
Except for the N95, the others are to help reduce the wearers droplets from hitting another persons face, not protect the wearer.
In the case of the store we have to wear them to help protect the checkers, and vice versa.
Regardless if your not wearing an N95, then 6 feet or more is the rule.( if its more than a few seconds)
At 6 feet the virus knows to stop and if closer it will only be allowed to be inhaled and not end up on your exposed skin or in your eyes or on your clothes.
It is a smart virus........
Here's livescience explanation for the 6 feet:
Six feet is the average distance that respiratory droplets from a sneeze or cough travel before they settle and are no longer likely to be inhaled by other people. I have seen estimates for social distancing of up to 10 feet if someone sneezes quite hard, [or] does not cover their sneeze [or] cough,” she said. “This allows those particles a little more distance to settle so that you are not breathing them in. As long as someone’s not outwardly ill, though, you should be safe maintaining a 6-foot distance.”
Other opinions at the article say 6 feet isn't enough
What if it’s windy or the a/c is on?
RE:”What if its windy or the a/c is on?”’
Which way is the wind blowing?
Honestly I have not seen an outwardly sick person in a coup!e of months.
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