Most likely not a serious problem for most people.
Is It Dangerous to Wear a COVID-19 Protective Mask for Too Long?
As Things Reopen I am Voting With my Purse
- Thread starter harllee
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Most likely not a serious problem for most people.
Is It Dangerous to Wear a COVID-19 Protective Mask for Too Long?
Beachcomber
Recycles dryer sheets
OP - THIS IS GREAT NEWS!
Lots of NC ppl here. My DW is a retired RN and has made 100's of masks for hospitals, neighbors, friends, nursing homes, etc. She also sews for Screen Gem studios when asked. She is a heart transplant recipient (Go Duke!) who must be very careful.
She has made many different kinds and all sizes. With hers you can add inserts for filtration. Anyone needs any, let me know!
Leo1277
Recycles dryer sheets
I think it greatly depends on the type of mask you are wearing. Surgical masks and homemade fabric masks don't have much filtering capability, so they don't protect you much from small droplets with virus that float around. They do however provide an obstacle to the airflow of your exhaling or sneezing, and thus reduce the reach of that air flow.
It's different with N95 masks, those are made to filter out around 95% (but not all) of micron-size particles, including even small droplets carrying virus. So they offer protection for you; but in their case, it is important to handle them properly - don't touch them on the outside during use unless you can quickly wash your hands, and after use, if you can't disinfect them, store them in an easy-to-clean place with the outside part facing down.
Note that the non-virus use of them is for pollen and other air pollution, for which they work very well. We were in California during wildfire season 2018 when they had to shut down traffic in the Bay Area because of intense smoke clouds, and to have 95% of the smog removed before it got into your lungs made all the difference in the world.
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Op here--nice post and offer about the masks except for the "Go Duke" part. I am a UNC grad--GO TAR HEELS! Hope we get to play Duke in basketball this next season.
Leo1277
Recycles dryer sheets
Leo1277 said:
It's not really a problem to have that extra CO2 around, you have plenty of that in your lungs anyway. The issue is that you have to get used to breathing deeper, which the first time you use an N95 mask can feel a bit strange, at least that's what it did to me and others I talked to.
FireDreamer
Dryer sheet wannabe
I own a condo in OIB on the NC coast and rent it out through VRBO. While I'm not familiar with AirBnB's policies, what you've heard about VRBO is not the complete story and a bit out of context. VRBO's business model is essentially a marketing platform, connecting renters with property owners. VRBO takes a commission and the cost of rent is transferred from renter to property owner within days of the renter paying.
In response to COVID-19, VRBO committed to refunding 100% of their fees and commissions to the renter, regardless of the lead time to rental date. They also strongly encouraged property owners to refund 100% or offer a credit for cancellations. If a property owner refunded 100%, the property would receive preferential search results. So, in a sense, VRBO is punishing those that do not offer full refunds.
Personally, I reached out to all my booked renters and assured them I am offering a full refund if they need to cancel, even if it's on the day of the rental.
harllee
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Firedreamer, you did the right and fair thing by giving renters a full refund. I understand many VRBO owners did not do what you did. Before a person rents on VRBO they definitely need to look at the owner's cancellation policies and avoid those they do not refund for cancellations. Personally I will just stick with AirBnB because they treated me right.
Elizrogers
Recycles dryer sheets
I saw several articles about using HEPA filters or vacuum cleaner filters to give nearly an N95 equivalent effect. They did state to be sure they were polypropylene and not fiberglass. I have some filters from when we used ecologizers (room air cleaners) years back, so I called Honeywell who told me they only use poly, no fiberglass, in all their products. So I cut filters from this big long thing and fit them in the filter pocket of my mask. They are thicker, so it is harder to breathe, but it keeps me from dawdling in the store. I'm so anxious to get outside and take off the mask that I just get what's on my list and get out. Some people in Texas will do what they want regardless of rules. It's like they do the opposite of what they're asked, even if they want to do what's asked, just to prove their indepedence.
I was standing with the door to the egg case open, deciding which I wanted, when a woman with no mask walked up, reached right across me, so our faces were not 1' apart. I had my mask on but jumped back startled by her and she says to me, "it's all a hoax. There's no logical science base to it.". That's why I wear a mask. She may have contaminated the whole outside of my mask, so I had to be careful taking it off, but the filter should have blocked a lot of germs, if she was a carrier of anything.
I also carry a Clorox wipe in each hand when I go in, rather than gloves, because once you touch anything with the glove, it is contaminated and anything you touch thereafter gets contaminated also. Such precautions may turn out to be proven unhelpful, but I'd rather err on the side of useless precautions, until we know, than wish I had when I'm in the hospital trying to live.
I was standing with the door to the egg case open, deciding which I wanted, when a woman with no mask walked up, reached right across me, so our faces were not 1' apart. I had my mask on but jumped back startled by her and she says to me, "it's all a hoax. There's no logical science base to it.". That's why I wear a mask. She may have contaminated the whole outside of my mask, so I had to be careful taking it off, but the filter should have blocked a lot of germs, if she was a carrier of anything.
I also carry a Clorox wipe in each hand when I go in, rather than gloves, because once you touch anything with the glove, it is contaminated and anything you touch thereafter gets contaminated also. Such precautions may turn out to be proven unhelpful, but I'd rather err on the side of useless precautions, until we know, than wish I had when I'm in the hospital trying to live.
We are straying a bit from the original topic, but it's as good a place as any to talk about this stuff.
I see lots of people wearing gloves, from shoppers in the grocery store to mail carriers making deliveries. But I'm not sure why.
Whether the germs are on the outside of my glove, or the outside of my hand, seems to make little difference. Either way, any time I touch something I could potentially help transport viruses.
Plus, I can wash my hands, or use hand sanitizer, which I can't do effectively with gloves. I can use a disinfectant wipe with or without gloves, but again, the gloves don't add any value there.
In the hospital, they change gloves between patients or when moving between rooms, or even between tasks in the same room. Unless you're going to change them between each item you pick up in the supermarket or each mailbox you open, I don't get it.
Midpack
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
HEPA filters should remove much more than an N95 FWIW.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-hepa-filter-1
Here is a list of manufacturers whose filters do not contain fiberglass.
https://www.ezvacuum.com/ezvacs-answers/does-vacuum-cleaner-bags-contain-fiberglass/
Ready
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I’m actually pleased to see that some stores are still not requiring masks in our town. Let all the people who think its a hoax shop there. It keeps them away from our Costco, which makes it less crowded for the rest of us.
Don't think it a hoax, just don't think the risk is worth destroying the economy.
+1
Glad to see our stores and restaurants reopening. Given the covid data in our area, I'm quite comfortable shopping and eating out. Hope we don't lose too many stores due to the limited income they've had and continue to have until we fully open up.
gwraigty
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Nothing personal, but that irritates me. You were blocking access to the eggs while you were trying to make up your mind. You could have stood back a bit so the woman could have gotten her eggs without getting so close to you. That's what I try to do, especially near popular items, like eggs. Other items, I'll concede, it's not so easy to stand back and see what's there, like the meat cases. I've waited for people a few times to respect their space and keep 6 ft. away. Sometimes it works, but if they're showing no signs of moving on, then I'll move in and grab what I've already decided I want, and I'm out of their way in seconds. As for the woman, she shouldn't have made that comment to you. I would have said to you, "Excuse me." so you'd know I was approaching and that's about it.
One of my local grocery stores had been quoted in an article as requiring customers to wear masks, with a photo of new signage. They were responding to my state mandate that customers would be required to wear masks. After our governor changed his mind the next day, they took the signage down and aren't requiring customers to wear masks. However, their stores in Michigan do require masks because it's a state mandate.
A general comment: There must be a lot of mask-shaming going on. During yesterday's press conference, our state health director addressed it. She said that people shouldn't confront others over it because you don't know why someone isn't wearing a mask. They may have a health condition that makes it dangerous for them to wear one. I wore a mask today while grocery shopping, as did most other customers, but a few customers didn't. I can't imagine confronting someone over it.
I agree with CaptTom about gloves. It's rare when I've seen someone wear them.
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Chuckanut
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
More proof of the 5th Law of Human Stupidity
Your unfortunate experience is why I now only shop at stores that enforce a mask policy. Hopefully, neither you nor I nor anybody else here will be a victim of that person's stupidity. And this comment comes from a person who makes the case that keeping the economy locked down may be worse than carefully allowing the virus to spread a bit more in the long run. We can't succeed in managing this disease if we allow stupid people to flaunt their stupidity for all to see.
audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Do so many people really believe it’s a hoax?
No logical science base, really?
No logical science base, really?
Of course not, that’s just the silly name calling from those who don’t agree with what others are choosing to do based on the same data. All to common today from both sides of any issue. There is always different ways to view data and how to respond to it. Just some can’t accept that and have a friendly discussion to learn from the other.
I don't think a lot of people actually think it's a hoax, they just think it's blown out of proportion. They also think a lot of it is political.
I didn't say it was a hoax. I see people wearing a mask when they get the mail or drive in their car alone, really. There numbers/risk just don't warrant the extreme measure being taken and the cost related to the shutdown's. We can't control this virus anymore then we can control the weather, mother nature is still the Queen.
MRG
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Sadly yes.
An example: A local liquor store is essential and opened the entire time. No one there wears a mask staff or patrons. No room to distance and access is not controlled.
A local cannibis dispensary, also essential. If you want to purchase cannibis you will wear a mask and social distance. Access is limited to one patron at a time. They encourage everyone to shop at home and give priority to those who do.
Who knew?
If we can’t control the virus we can control our exposure to it, by wearing masks. This also reduces the risk we unknowingly infect others.
Golden sunsets
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So true, yet many, some of whom have commented on this thread, feel that it is unnecessary and seem to ignore the fact that by not wearing a mask, they can infect others. I don't understand this attitude.
Unless it's an N95 mask I wouldn't but too much faith in your home made mask adding much additional protection. SD is probably a better way to reduce the risk. You're really only reducing a already minimal risk.
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If a mask were painful, heavy, or expensive, I guess I could get why some folks are so opposed. But as it is, I just don't get the visceral objection.
I have a handmade cotton one in a pattern I quite like. I've ordered a couple more in nice fabric designs. So, for the near future, until there are better measures, I'll do this simple thing to protect myself a little, and others more.
I have a handmade cotton one in a pattern I quite like. I've ordered a couple more in nice fabric designs. So, for the near future, until there are better measures, I'll do this simple thing to protect myself a little, and others more.
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