COVID-19 reality for us

[Spdntrxi]

Originally Posted by jimcav

and let it roll from there. I put that there because it is my (informed) opinion

JimCav couldn't wait for the mods/admin to start a thread today. He's impatient

The mods decided to just run with it, but agree it does not need the ATMO in the title if this is going to be the general SARS-CoV-2 thread.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

If this is the new Covid-19 thread, after the other one was closed:
It seems that the use of masks is now being recommended for general exposure, not N95 but at least some kind, even for the non-afflicted public, for grocery shopping, etc.

But where can one find any masks of any type at all? I cannot find any anywhere, even online.

I am in a high-risk group, do not have any masks, no stores around for miles have any at all, and now I am terrified to go to the grocery and am running out of food. I do not even have scarves to wear.

If you are in a high-risk group, please ask a neighbor for help. Perhaps one of them can pick up groceries or other needed supplies for you...then let everything that isn't immediately perishable sit in your garage, porch, etc for a couple of days.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to order food online...but my understanding is that it may be a week to receive an order.

And with specific regard to masks...I ordered reusable masks from etsy, and filter inserts from Amazon. The masks should be here shortly, the additional inserts will take another couple of weeks.

Here's the store I ordered from...you can find many similar offerings on etsy..

Hope this helps.

And again...ask for help. I hear some panic in your words. You are not alone. Ask for help.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

If this is the new Covid-19 thread, after the other one was closed:
It seems that the use of masks is now being recommended for general exposure, not N95 but at least some kind, even for the non-afflicted public, for grocery shopping, etc.

But where can one find any masks of any type at all? I cannot find any anywhere, even online.

I am in a high-risk group, do not have any masks, no stores around for miles have any at all, and now I am terrified to go to the grocery and am running out of food. I do not even have scarves to wear.

I remember some years ago the power company would drop off some free energy-saving light bulbs at every door, on every street, which was nice of them. Is anyone doing that for masks? Otherwise, where can one find these masks?

https://www.heddels.com/2020/03/how-...-of-a-t-shirt/

Something is better than nothing and it helps normalize the taking of precautions. I have a few coming from Etsy.

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by benb

We haven't hit peak deaths yet anywhere.

But right now I'm crunching numbers on the publicly available data. I did this last week at one point too.

Right now I've done:
NY
NYC

MA
Middlesex Count (MA) - where I live

All of them look like we are actually bending the curve at this point. % Day over Day Growth in new cases is much better than a week ago. The absolute numbers this week look scary, but the % growth in new cases is slowing down and looks much less scary. We all need to keep up discipline.

I'm hoping to the see the IMHE model track better here in CA. I'm planning to look closer at numbers after 4-7 days because there are days where unprocessed or unreported cases are suddenly added. Really looking forward to seeing the effects as we as a nation "mobilize" to be less mobile. CNN I think profiled a mobile power supply company transitioning to refurbish 1000 ventilators a week. That is so awesome and I know things like that are playing out nationwide

[Dino Suegiù]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

If you are in a high-risk group, please ask a neighbor for help. Perhaps one of them can pick up groceries or other needed supplies for you...then let everything that isn't immediately perishable sit in your garage, porch, etc for a couple of days.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to order food online...but my understanding is that it may be a week to receive an order.

Thank you. I see. I do not have neighbors who can help. I will see if online is an option, but I think it is not, for me.

Originally Posted by C40_guy

And with specific regard to masks...I ordered reusable masks from etsy, and filter inserts from Amazon. The masks should be here shortly, the additional inserts will take another couple of weeks.

Here's the store I ordered from...you can find many similar offerings on etsy..

Hope this helps.

And again...ask for help. I hear some panic in your words. You are not alone. Ask for help.

Thank you again, very much. I see that same etsy page also has some filters listed. Are those filters OK to use? They should be, right, since she is making the masks? 1 order, 1 shipment, 1 package, rather than 2 (etsy + Amazon)?

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

If you are in a high-risk group, please ask a neighbor for help. Perhaps one of them can pick up groceries or other needed supplies for you...then let everything that isn't immediately perishable sit in your garage, porch, etc for a couple of days.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to order food online...but my understanding is that it may be a week to receive an order.

And with specific regard to masks...I ordered reusable masks from etsy, and filter inserts from Amazon. The masks should be here shortly, the additional inserts will take another couple of weeks.

Here's the store I ordered from...you can find many similar offerings on etsy..

Hope this helps.

And again...ask for help. I hear some panic in your words. You are not alone. Ask for help.

we offered to go to the store for our 80 year old neighbors- it is walking distance and they still go every few days (I can't make them not go, but we keep offering). People will offer if they know, or just ask.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

Thank you. I see. I do not have neighbors who can help. I will see if online is an option, but I think it is not, for me.


Thank you again, very much. I see that same etsy page also has some filters listed. Are those filters OK to use? They should be, right, since she is making the masks? 1 order, 1 shipment, 1 package, rather than 2 (etsy + Amazon)?

You're welcome Dino. I'm no expert on the filters...but it looks like they're pretty standard. I ordered a couple of masks, one with two filters, and then ordered additional filters (in quantity) from Amazon.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

Thank you. I see. I do not have neighbors who can help. I will see if online is an option, but I think it is not, for me.

Other options are your church, any church, etc. There may be local community service organizations who are providing food delivery services. Call the town hall, police department (non-emergency line). If you feel you are at risk and need help, please keep asking (as you did here!)

[jimcav]

Originally Posted by Spdntrxi

JimCav couldn't wait for the mods/admin to start a thread today. He's impatient

The mods decided to just run with it, but agree it does not need the ATMO in the title if this is going to be the general SARS-CoV-2 thread.

it would be more voluminous otherwise

[Dino Suegiù]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

You're welcome Dino. I'm no expert on the filters...but it looks like they're pretty standard. I ordered a couple of masks, one with two filters, and then ordered additional filters (in quantity) from Amazon.

OK, thanks. Yes, if the Amazon quantities are larger, then that makes sense.

I assume the filters you ordered from Amazon are also "PM2.5", like these, correct?

[Dino Suegiù]

Originally Posted by jimcav

it would be more voluminous otherwise

Thank you for the informative posts and for the other action too.

[Spdntrxi]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

OK, thanks. Yes, if the Amazon quantities are larger, then that makes sense.

I assume the filters you ordered from Amazon are also "PM2.5", like these, correct?

it's better then nothing but corona is smaller then 2.5. 2.5 refers to 2.5um. Coronavirus is more likely to be .100-.125um

but the virus needs to be in a droplet which the mask will definitely stop. The good news most mask rated at 2.5 actually will do a good job at particles much lower then the size of coronavirus.

[Cantdog]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

I'm not saying it isn't serious. I'm saying we (society) are shooting from the hip instead of taking a deep breath, steadying, getting on target, and pulling the trigger. This is a trolley-problem. But we don't know if we are sending the trolley toward the better or worse fate, from a utilitarian perspective - we're just going based on whoever is screaming loudest.

The comparison to alcohol is to put the totals in context. Imagine the hysteria if the media was running a ticker for every drunk-driving death.....

Oh I'm not implying that you weren't taking it seriously--more that it's so hard to use a current disease as a comparison. I think using comparisons to other things help us understand the magnitude and numbers, but also anchor us to incorrect assumptions, even subconsciously. We see how royally policy makers screw up addressing overdose deaths by drug use, a 'pandemic' in the US that feels like another similar comparisons. Again it's a situation where I feel like, if only those making decisions would listen to the 'boots on the ground', researchers, clinicians, etc.

Certainly on a micro level I think many individuals, organizations and communities and taking it seriously, using the best available data, taking that and applying it to their current situation, and making a decision, and continuing to reevaluate that decision. Thats certainly what I have been doing and feel like my organization has been doing. On a macro level I agree, the people who should be leading seem to be shooting from the hip, and missing the target.

The comparison to and thinking about this as the trolley problem also simplifies it so much that I feel like a lot of important things get left out. There are a seemingly infinite number of trolleys on an infinite number of tracks with people and levers all over.

I do hope that after this is said and done, the US will have a renewed sense of collective conscious and responsibility. And I hope more individuals in healthcare run for office.

[yinzerniner]

Originally Posted by Dino Suegiù

Thank you. I see. I do not have neighbors who can help. I will see if online is an option, but I think it is not, for me.


Thank you again, very much. I see that same etsy page also has some filters listed. Are those filters OK to use? They should be, right, since she is making the masks? 1 order, 1 shipment, 1 package, rather than 2 (etsy + Amazon)?

So - here's the thing with those masks.

At this point something is better than nothing, but isolation (if possible) is still the best course of action.

First, the bad news on the cited PM2.5 masks/filters:
The PM2.5 masks and filters are made to filter out particles 2.5 microns in size and above. But the coronavirus size is .1 microns (or .06-.014 microns, averaged out to .1), so the filters aren't designed to block passage of the virus.

But the good news:
Even though the filters aren't designed to keep out particles as small as the coronavirus, then still filter SOME of the particles.

See good article about the observed effectiveness of PM2.5 masks for particles smaller than what they're designed for:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/...surgical-mask/

So basically, PM2.5 gives you a fighters chance even though they're not designed for or proven to keep everything out. They're basically the mask equivalent of the battle of thermopylae.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by C40_guy

If you are in a high-risk group, please ask a neighbor for help. Perhaps one of them can pick up groceries or other needed supplies for you...then let everything that isn't immediately perishable sit in your garage, porch, etc for a couple of days.

Depending on where you live, you may also be able to order food online...but my understanding is that it may be a week to receive an order.

And with specific regard to masks...I ordered reusable masks from etsy, and filter inserts from Amazon. The masks should be here shortly, the additional inserts will take another couple of weeks.

Here's the store I ordered from...you can find many similar offerings on etsy..

Hope this helps.

And again...ask for help. I hear some panic in your words. You are not alone. Ask for help.

To the OP (Dino): I highly suggest you get some form of movement in, if you are ambulatory. I think it would do wonders in mitigating the anxiety and terror you seem to be experiencing. A walk perhaps, if you feel comfortable with the level of "social distancing." If not, there are free yoga lessons online. Movement is great medicine.