Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[andye]

Unless the mask is a high-grade one that requires a close seal, I don't think a beard makes much difference. I dont think anyone is recommending that the general public all wear P2/N95-its nearly impossible to keep the seal for a significant length of time and we'd run out pretty quickly too

(I did reshape my beard when I was needing to wear P2/N95 regularly)

 

[tgh]

Important to refresh ourselves on efficacy of masks.
I argued somewhat fruitlessly here early days, but there are masks and masks..caveat emptor...

 

[tgh]

Sydney tools are currently showing 600+ stock of Eclipse respirators for circa aud .$65 each
Rated @P2 with the supplied filter so add another $ 30 for a (or two) P3 filter
Can be worn for weeks/months until the filter starts to clog so very cost effective and safe to handle during and after use.
Paper P2.5's are dreadfully uncomfortable, the moulded Eclipse respirators are about as good as a mask gets

…All imnsho…….ymmv…

 

[Princess Fiona]

I was given a free mask in the Apple Store today. But was disappointed to see many of the staff both inside and the guards outside had beards. Those beards make their masks pretty ineffectual, possibly giving them and customers a false sense of security.

It’s a bit more complicated than that though.
Facial hair must be removed to provide a seal wearing a P2/N95 respirator.
Basic surgical masks can be worn with facial hair, and although there is reduced effectiveness in protecting the wearer it’s not zero and definitely should be encouraged in areas of community transmission to prevent asymptomatic spread of COVID-19.

 

[DC3]

Sydney tools are currently showing 600+ stock of Eclipse respirators for circa aud .$65 each
Rated @P2 with the supplied filter so add another $ 30 for a (or two) P3 filter
Can be worn for weeks/months until the filter starts to clog so very cost effective and safe to handle during and after use.
Paper P2.5's are dreadfully uncomfortable, the moulded Eclipse respirators are about as good as a mask gets ....

But when/where you need to wear such masks (e.g., in Brisbane). Are you in an environment where you cannot properly distance? Or is it as an extra precaution?

I don’t wear a mask, but comply with the distancing. Also, I do not need to closely mingle in public areas.

And, I’m not referring to COVID hotspots, which need every precaution, anyway.

Edited

 

[OZDUCK]

WA should also be looking very very closely at their quarantine procedures as well rather than just pointing at the actual flight.... it’s possible there has been spread intra-quarantine...

There was one intra-quarantine incident about 3 months ago, heads were beaten and nothing similar has happened since. If there was intra-quarantine spread it would also include security guards etc which has not occurred. No similar rash of infections has happened for the other 40 or 50 flights or the hundreds of people off a cruise liner.. I am pretty certain that this cluster is due to exposure overseas .

 

[jakeseven7]

There was one intra-quarantine incident about 3 months ago, heads were beaten and nothing similar has happened since. If there was intra-quarantine spread it would also include security guards etc which has not occurred. No similar rash of infections has happened for the other 40 or 50 flights or the hundreds of people off a cruise liner.. I am pretty certain that this cluster is due to exposure overseas .

Could be hotel staff delivering food, spreading it. Not necessarily security. Anyway we will see.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I guess people aren’t too concerned with masks in Canberra as yet. The Apple store is probably just paying lip service to a world wide policy. Mr FM was a little edgy about social distancing at the Epic markets this morning, so I have just ordered some cotton masks off Etsy from a lady in Perth. I wanted organic cotton and she had some fabulous fabrics. It has a pocket for putting a filter in. I still don’t think they are necessary but best to be prepared. She said she was flat out making masks at the moment!

“Organic Cotton”??

 

[deejo77]

Is this in a COVID hotspot, or somewhere else? In Brisbane, I see very little mask use, anyway, masks worn properly or not.

I am normally the only person I see wearing a mask in shops in Brisbane - it’s also not a normal mask but one from:

Reusable face shields

Resusable face shields offering full face protection against splashing & spray. Lightweight and adjustable featuring adjustable head strap to keep face guard secure. Can be worn over mask & prescription glasses and is optically clear. TGA approved, made in Australia.

baileyprotectiongear.com.au

and I love it - easy to clear, glasses don’t fog ect......I just wish people would stay 1.5m away......at coles yesterday I had to say I have this plastic thing attached to my head for a reason please step back.

 

[Flying mermaid]

“Organic Cotton”??

Of course - certified organic cotton is quite a big thing. (At the risk of being yelled at again by JohnM . ).

Organic cotton

cottonaustralia.com.au

404 Page not found - GOTS

GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

www.global-standard.org

 

[TheRealTMA]

Of course - certified organic cotton is quite a big thing. (At the risk of being yelled at again by JohnM . ).

Organic cotton

cottonaustralia.com.au

404 Page not found - GOTS

GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.

www.global-standard.org

LOL.

environmental damage by excessive water usage from cotton farms not a problem of course, organic or inorganic.

 

[Flying mermaid]

LOL.

environmental damage by excessive water usage from cotton farms not a problem of course, organic or inorganic.

Everything cause damage - just in different ways. You not going to tell me manufacturing plastics is environmentally friendly. Anyway the guidance is if you are going to wear a cloth mask to get a cotton one, and if I am going to be breathing through it (although I still hope not to have to use them), I prefer to have one which is organic. You are free to have whatever you want.

 

[DC3]

“Organic Cotton”??

Sounds good enough to eat.

 

[Pushka]

Isnt the concept of the mask wearing by Joe Average to protect others and not the wearer?

 

[Flying mermaid]

Isnt the concept of the mask wearing by Joe Average to protect others and not the wearer?

I thought it was both?

 

[p--and--t]

Isnt the concept of the mask wearing by Joe Average to protect others and not the wearer?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Isnt the concept of the mask wearing by Joe Average to protect others and not the wearer?

There are masks and masks.

As I understand current advice the cloth type of masks and cheaper non surgical masks that Joe Average will wear:

• Significantly help to protect others from Joe if Joe is infected person as it will catch many of the infected droplets if they get within about 1.5m of Joe.
• Help to protect an un-infected Joe from infected people if he gets within within 1.5 of them. But not as much benefit as above.

Note that if Joe is not adept at using his mask, then Joe may increase the chance of catching the virus anyway. ie If Joe touches the front of his mask as he may later touch his face/mouth, has a beard or moustache that allows air in, he does not have a good seal, if he leaves his nose out, keeps using the one mask, wears it too long so that it gets damp etc

If using a cloth mask then buy multiple so that you can wash them, and always have an unused one on hand.

 

[drron]

But cloth masks are a bit iffy as shown in this 2015 study in Vietnam.

A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of cloth masks to medical masks in hospital healthcare workers (HCWs). The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between medical masks and cloth masks.14 secondary-level/tertiary-level hospitals ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

.

Outcomes in trial arms (CRI, clinical respiratory illness; ILI, influenza-like illness; Virus, laboratory-confirmed viruses).

So a cloth mask was worse than just wearing a mask when in contact with a patient.

 

[Pushka]

But cloth masks are a bit iffy as shown in this 2015 study in Vietnam.

A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of cloth masks to medical masks in hospital healthcare workers (HCWs). The null hypothesis is that there is no difference between medical masks and cloth masks.14 secondary-level/tertiary-level hospitals ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

View attachment 222779.

Outcomes in trial arms (CRI, clinical respiratory illness; ILI, influenza-like illness; Virus, laboratory-confirmed viruses).

So a cloth mask was worse than just wearing a mask when in contact with a patient.

But I think its more a case of using the mask as one of the defensive weapons in the fight as one of many tools being available, such has handwashing and distance separation. It seems a no brainer to me to wear one, rather than not.

Amd beautifully presented by @p--and--t above.

 

[drron]

But I think its more a case of using the mask as one of the defensive weapons in the fight as one of many tools being available, such has handwashing and distance separation. It seems a no brainer to me to wear one, rather than not.

Amd beautifully presented by @p--and--t above.

As long as it is not a cloth mask worn for a long time.You may then actually be worse off if you wear it for hours than not wearing a mask at all.