Corona Virus #5

[ovrszd]

This might have something to do with it also.
View attachment 646116

Good stuff. And we think we live right......

 

[k0ua]

I can explain respirators and masks as I work in the industry. This won't be short, but I will keep it light on the technical stuff...

Respirator can mean 2 unrelated things 1) A piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) that you wear to filter out or exclude contaminants from your lungs. 2) An apparatus used in the hospital to help you breathe. I'll be honest that I know nothing about #2, though I believe that they may be calling these ventilators more often nowadays. Still a lot of people hear the word respirator and think the #2.

Mask can mean anything on your face. A respirator can be called a mask generically but people in the industry get picky about this as a "mask" can mean anything. You see a lot of surgical masks in healthcare photos. They are intended to protect the patient, not really the wearer, as they do not seal to the face. You are basically trying to stop the wearer from breathing/coughing/spitting droplets directly into an open incision, for example. They will resist exhaled droplets as those will just get stopped by the mask, but they do not filter to any reliable degree, and are not tested for filtration, for the most part.

In the US, NIOSH controls respirator approvals (part of NIH/CDC structure). There are 9 approval levels, but you mostly hear of 2: N95(basic) and P100(top). The number is the minimum filter efficiency against a standard particle challenge. Anything 95 or higher is generally accepted for use in these situations. The 9 approvals have a letter (N/R/P) which talks about what type of aerosols they are tested against, and a number (95/99/100) which is the min filter efficiency in % (the 100 is a bit of a fudge as it is actually 99.97% which is the most that the instruments can measure). The letter has to do with the type pf aerosol as oily particles can cause more trouble with some filters, so R and P levels are tested with oily particles, N is not. Stuff exhaled from a person is all water based so the N category is most suitable. That is why you hear N95 all the time in the news these days.

The most important part of a respirator is the fit, not the performance level. If you cannot get a good fit, then your protection will be poor. The non-woven disposable type (often called paper, incorrectly) are the basic type and can be fitted well with proper care and some training. The rubber type masks are kind of the next step up and can be easier to get a good seal and are more comfortable for long term use. Rubber respirators will come in 2 basic forms - half-face (covers nose and mouth) and full-face (covers nose/mouth/eyes). Many people think of the the half face as a "painters mask", but they can be set up many ways depending on what filters you attach. Most people have only seen a full face on firefighters, but they have regular industrial uses also, with the same filter selection as half-face.

Disposables or rubber respirators are perfectly suitable as long as you put N95 or higher filters on it. A lot of people know the heavier carbon cartridges on these which are used to take organic vapors and other chemicals out of the air, but you can use a regular particulate filter also. You will mostly find P100 filters, and frankly the reason for that is "just because". It is the top level filter and so most people seem to gravitate to it, whether the really need it or not. You can find N95 and mid level filters, too but they are not as common for that reason.

And then you can get into real high end with filtering blowers and supplied air lines that can feed rubber respirators, hood, helmets, or other special setups. Disposable masks are often $0.50-2 ea (in normal times...), rubber half face can be $15-50 (depending on features and materials), full face in the $150-400 range, and the blower systems can easily get you into $1-2k, once you have all the parts.

So if you have N95 disposable types, those work fine as long as you are well-fitted, and the rubber half face respirators also work fine for all this, with an N95 filter or better (no need for carbon cartridges for this - they don't filter particles, only gasses/vapors). And again - FIT is most important!

I know it is long, but it is hard to explain all this clearly otherwise... Hope this helps.
-Dave

I think you did a great job explaining it Dave. :thumbsup:

 

[Steppenwolfe]

...and will keep on plowing I suspect. You get a liberal moderator reading along and wham. They shut the door and wham, it gets opened again. This thread subject transcends every other discussion topic on this entire forum and will for the immediate future...

Wonder when we hit 10 rebirths....

Soon by the looks of it. :confused2:

 

[Tomtint]

Here or there?

NY is 36 hours from complete lock down..Boston probably by mid next week. SF already there.... the animals will get restless very soon... I think by day 3 or 4 in NY the place will be on fire.

 

[Diggin It]

Temporary Changes to
The Home Depot’s Store Hours

We want you to know that we are temporarily adjusting our store hours to close at 6 p.m., beginning Thursday, March 19. Our opening hours will remain unchanged.

We’re keeping our stores open during these uncertain times to give businesses and homeowners access to urgently needed items such as hot water heaters, refrigerators, batteries, as well as electrical and plumbing repair needs.

The adjusted hours will give us the ability to restock and perform additional cleaning and sanitizing of our stores.

If you’ve been in our stores recently, you may notice that we’ve experienced increased demand for certain items like face masks, hand sanitizers, and cleaning supplies. Understandably, manufacturers have prioritized some of these items for health care providers. Our merchants and supply chain teams are working to replenish available product as quickly as possible, but you may see purchase limits on some items and availability may vary at times.

We’re grateful to our thousands of associates and suppliers who are working diligently to provide our customers and communities with essential products and the best shopping experience possible. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to continue to serve you.

Our thoughts are with anyone who has been impacted by COVID-19. We are staying in close contact with the CDC and will continue to make sure that our business practices are consistent with the most up-to-date information. To learn more about what we’re doing to prepare and respond to COVID-19, you can visit our company newsroom at corporate.homedepot.com.

Sincerely,

The Home Depot

 

[wheelbuilder]

Tell me why the Germans have so few dead people.? Tell me why Italy has so many.

I'm not positive, but I believe Italy's got an older population.

 

[Vaquero]

Italy, Florida, same thing.
A population of older people on a peninsula in a moderate climate.

 

[k0ua]

I'm not positive, but I believe Italy's got an older population.

That can't be all of it. The fella in Portugal said that the German healthcare system is really really good and Italy's is really really bad.

 

[wheelbuilder]

That can't be all of it. The fella in Portugal said that the German healthcare system is really really good and Italy's is really really bad.

Looking at the chart posted, they're only 2 percent different age wise, so yeah, seems close enough to not be age.
I wonder too then if their healthcare isn't as good, do more end up with other health issues that may cause problems ?

 

[Jaylegger]

NY is 36 hours from complete lock down..Boston probably by mid next week. SF already there.... the animals will get restless very soon... I think by day 3 or 4 in NY the place will be on fire.

The animals have a knack for not planning ahead even a footstep or two. They'll get hungry quickly.