Wear a mask when you visit --- and make sure that everyone wears one when visiting your father.

#Keep your droplets to yourself.

#My mask protects you, your mask protects me.

#stop emission, stop transmission

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/cdc-considering-recommending-general-public-wear-face-coverings-in-public/2020/03/30/6a3e495c-7280-11ea-87da-77a8136c1a6d_story.html

Well, guess I will,have to get over feeling ridiculous in one. Went to the grocery store and I’d say about one third of the people,were,wearing them along with gloves. I have a few but didn’t wear one. Guess I’ll start although after buying $157 worth of food and stuff it will be awhile before I have to go again. Wore my leather gloves and did my level best not to touch my face. Glad to have the tap kind of credit card. I had my hand sanitizer with me and used that whenever I had to take off my gloves.

once home, I wiped off everything with alcohol. Now I am going to pass out from the smell of wintergreen rubbing alcohol.

Every time I go, I fill my cart to overflowing. I feel like I am a hoarder but TBH that doesn't even completely cover feeding 5 adults/young adults for a week.

Jojoco, that was exactly how I felt. There was hostility in the air.

Sorry, I disagree. That is cute! I would ask to know all about it if you were in front of me in the check out line.

Reminds me of the old joke my boss used to tell (who was Italian...and I'm part Polish)....whenever someone would say I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole, he'd reply or a 5' Italian.

We are still in Florida. No hostility on the check out lines or in the aisles.

Annie, I sent my sister a pic of masks i‘m making, and she retorted, “Don‘t stop by the bank.”

Very stylish ladies - love the baseball hat Annie.

Last week I shopped for groceries and maybe one out of ten people wore a mask. Although many more wore gloves - vinyl, garden or winter and a few had scarves. I have a lot of cotton fabric and could easily sew them - as long as I figured out the right pattern to use.

I have a big roll of clear plastic used for floor and furniture protection and am thinking about gluing to come down from the interior front/side of a hat band. I got the idea from something I saw on FB.

Edited: I found a better solution, I cut the back off a jumbo ZipLock bag. It's sturdier.

Eld, to be clear, no one was acting hostile at all. But there is just this feeling that everyone else is the enemy almost? Hard to describe. By the same token, it is considerate that everyone painstakingly gives everyone else a wide berth...

I decided to order some face masks from Etsy since I don't sew anymore and pretty sure I gave away my machine. I figure better than nothing. I got simple linen ones in solid pale colors, sort of an oatmeal and a light blue. I think I read paper towels make an excellent filter --- now if only I could buy some somewhere LOL

It's a lack of neighborliness in our stores that I've noticed. Being a newish Yankee in NC it took time to adjust to the level of conversation directed at me and now - poof it's gone. There is a sense of unease. People want to get in, find what they want and get out.

I think the only reason DD and I did not get the flu in December was that I insisted we all wear masks. DH and both DS's all had the flu. All five of us had a flu shot in October, btw. I found five masks in a drawer that were left from December. If I go anywhere, I will wear one.

Good to see you TexanJana! Might be my imagination but was just thinking yesterday we hadn't see you around.

maire-cate, I got my pattern from here: https://sweetredpoppy.com/

I have lots of floral wire so I used that...another mask used pipe cleaners to give the shape to the nose bridge.

mtn, try coffee filters or vacuum bags, if nothing else. Or if your kids have felt in their art/craft supplies. Or sacrifice something wool and felt it yourself. Filters just need to be non-woven something. Not sure I'd use paper towels unless you can use many layers.

Maire_cate, the best pattern I’ve found is Leah Day’s which you can easily find on YouTube.

Mtn, I was also going to suggest coffee filters.

hmm, is there a tiny one inside a Keurig thingamajiggy? : )

Thanks Annie and Bestyears. That's an interesting tip about using floral wire for the nose bridge. I think I have just about everything I might need to sew them -- floral wire, chenille pipe cleaners, various widths of elastic, bias tape and lots of cotton remnants. DH has two 3M dust masks left from his last wood working project that I could try underneath a fabric mask. If they're too large I have vacuum bags, coffee filters, felt etc.

Can't believe they are still publishing sentences like this:

Experts say masks and respirators are not effective for protecting the general public, but are crucial for health care workers.

That simply flies in the face of reason. They need to be honest. Let's try this:

Experts say that, due to shortages, masks and respirators need to be allocated first to health care workers, who have the greatest exposure and are also critical to everyone's well being. In the interim, any fabric that snugly covers the nose and mouth may provide an incremental benefit in fighting the spread of the virus by 1)reducing your emission of any droplets, 2)reducing your intake of any droplets and 3)preventing you from touching your nose and mouth. The better the quality and fit of the mask, and the more closely you follow protocols about washing your hands when taking masks on and off, the better the protection.

I say this not to contradict anyone, but just to add another opinion to the conversation. I watched Dr. Deborah Birx address the issue of masks yesterday. Her main thrust was that masks give people a false sense of security, plus they still leave the eyes exposed. She maintains that social distancing of 6 feet, frequent hand washing, and not touching your face were better measures than wearing face masks.

Dr. Birx is pretty apolitical, having originally served under President Obama and now continuing on under President Trump.

ETA: I have just discovered that I have an N95 mask. I bought it eons ago to use when I spray painted something. DD has the other one which she has used when spray painting. I suspect that both are so filled with paint particles they would not be suitable for current wear.

My guess is that the CDC will suggest masks for the population soon. “They” have to be careful how it’s phrased because no one wants healthcare workers to go without.

“"The idea of getting a much more broad, community-wide use of masks, outside of the health care setting, is under very active discussion at the task force. The CDC group is looking at that very carefully," Fauci said.

In an interview with "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell, Fauci stressed that "the primary people who need masks are the health care providers who are putting themselves in harm's way when they are taking care of someone with a highly contagious disease." Masks also need to be worn by COVID-19 patients to prevent them from infecting others.

But since the CDC says as many as 25% of people infected with the virus don't have any symptoms themselves, but can still spread it, would asking everyone to wear masks in public offer some protection? Fauci cautioned that such a recommendation will be contingent on having an adequate supply.

"One thing you don't want to do is, by recommending that people in the community generally wear masks, is if it takes it away from the people who really need it," Fauci said. ”

I am not sure this link with paste here but this came up on my FB yesterday. I made one in a couple of minutes using some dish towel material I had purchased for my GD to embroidery on and some new hair ties I had on hand.

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/4/1/21203241/coronavirus-diy-face-mask-homemade-tutorials

I like Dr. Birx (well except for that one fawning interview, gag me), but her advice is contrary to many many health experts worldwide, and if you just look at people around the world it is clearly the new norm.

Even apart from that, her logic stinks, frankly. She is clearly covering for panic over the PPE shortage for healthcare workers, which is defiinitely the right priority!

Let's break it down.

Her main thrust was that masks give people a false sense of security,

So is that a reason not to use them? NO, it's a reason to warn people against a false sense of security, right? We don't rip out seatbelts because they give a false sense of security.

plus they still leave the eyes exposed.

Umm, ok, but they cover the mouth and nose. Sounds like a possible 67% reduction to me... oh and if you wear glasses that offers some incremental protection too.

She maintains that social distancing of 6 feet, frequent hand washing, and not touching your face were better measures than wearing face masks. If you had to choose, yes, but why not use everything in your arsenal. Oh, wait that is right, it is because we don't have any masks in our arsenal!

CONCLUSION - there is only one reason they are telling you not to wear masks, instead of telling you to wear them but be careful about how you use them and understand they are not Kryptonite ... and that reason is a shortage. This is the PSA your govt SHOULD be giving you.

I am learning so much about how hard it is to communicated medical information :(

For us normal people, masks/covers do not so much protect the wearer as rather, they prevent droplets with viruses from being released by the person who wears the cover and who is potentially infected but doesn't know. It is easier to stop droplet emission at the source.

That's why everyone who's out and about should wear masks.

See Taiwan, 27 mio people, 5 deaths. Universal mask/mouth cover.

Once the droplets are released, it is harder to prevent inhalation by one's interlocutor. That's because the droplets may become aerosolized, ie they become tiny, are airborne and are harder to catch/filtered. That's where surgical masks/N95 comes in.

In addition, healthcare workers deal with very sick people and procedures, like intubation, which release viruses.

Basically, do not talk to anyone who does not wear a mask.

My mask protects you; your mask protects me.

This is my Vogmask from when I was in Beijing. I still have it, but I would like to save it in case one of us gets sick. I've also ordered fabric masks that can be washed. I think we do have extra vacuum cleaner bags, too.

This was a quote from another article on Vox. link

" A 2008 systematic review, published in BMJ, found medical masks halted the spread of respiratory viruses from likely infected patients. In particular, studies on the 2003 outbreak of SARS — a cousin to the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 — found that masks alone were 68 percent effective at preventing the virus. By comparison, washing hands more than 10 times a day was 55 percent effective. A combination of measures — hand-washing, masks, gloves, and gowns — was 91 percent effective.

A 2015 review, also published in BMJ, looked at mask use among people in community settings, specifically households and colleges. Some studies produced unclear results, but the findings overall indicated that wearing a mask protected people from infections compared to not wearing a mask, especially when paired with hand-washing. A big issue was adherence; people were often bad at actually wearing masks, which, unsurprisingly, diminished their effectiveness. But if masks were used early and consistently, the authors concluded, they seemed to work. "

ETA I just saw this on Twitter LOL: " I know going outside with a bandana around my face is the equivalent of pulling out during sex, but I’m putting all my faith in it. "

I'm not sure how much the fabric masks really do help. Many of the health care are going to the full face "shield" type masks. We have a manufacturing facility here in my area that has lines shut down for their regular products, but are now making these type masks.

We gave out 100 boxes of food last night at my church, and hubby and I helped. We had a group of ten or less (actually we had about 10 in one group, then had 3 others at a different location on the property to direct traffic) and we wore masks and gloves. No one was allowed out of their car to get their box. Trunks or doors were opened and one of our people placed the box in the vehicle.

I have very mixed feelings about gloves too. You contaminate by touching one thing after the other. I personally feel safer in washing my hands very often. Most of us wore the cloth masks last night (someone had made for us) and I need to look, but I believe the have the "pocket" inside where a "filter" (piece of disposable diaper, etc.) can be added for better protection.

I will say that I have not been to the grocery store this week, but the last two weeks I have seen 2 people wearing masks on each occasion. People were distancing themselves, but I did not sense any hostility, etc. Most seemed friendly. On one trip, while I was in line, I felt the man behind me was closer than he should have been, but I moved up and I did not turn around towards him.

This video from Chris Martenson, who holds a PhD degree in pathology from Duke University, explains in simple terms why we should all be wearing masks.
Everyone should wear a mask

I'm not sure how much the fabric masks really do help.

Tina Marie: the video I post above explains why they help.

I agree with you about glove.

Well, I decided to start wearing one on weekly grocery trips. Made one of these in a matter of seconds.

Blog: https://blog.japanesecreations.com/no-sew-face-mask-with-handkerchief-and-hair-tie?fbclid=IwAR2LzHX6n4M70yeTqoL754Xl8zVWEswFJbdCmXnIyIDe4wHVOawOlVngqPw

I made one of those, from Chipotle's video. I used a large handkerchief and, because I had no ponytail holder, I took their tip to cut a ring from a sock. I pressed the pleats, put in the elastics, and wore it to the store.

It started to slip off the top of my nose, maybe I started to perspire? And by the end of my shopping, the ends that were tucked to the center were slipping down.

So, I might take a small safety pin to hold the ends in place. The elastics held the folds, though.

I think I saw another no-sew mask on a shopper in the store, and a couple of hand-sewn, as well as regular masks. So it will be a trend! Next I'll try a bandana and see how that goes. The fabric might be less slippery than the handkerchief.

This is a set of instructions being used by a group here for a simple mask. It includes a pocket for the filters. DD prefers ties not the elastic over the ears.

She is using them often when she sees regular patients in the ER (with a HEPA micron filter for vacuum cleaners) but has to use her N95 for suspected C19 patients.

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Easy%20Surgical%20Mask%20Instructions.pdf?token=AWzV1qtjld5i8kACX9nJHXUNrD_H0XFr0z0SCvjyhXfZhZX0eUsSVDtIUKO8769GyoXKSVXQTIdeQnb5GJc-THt335H336nKBOhy3Tsf1l9w8pBxHQJNiSoy1l-6NQe2dZ360uK64WUus6orxASiNKvEKhDKPvXyFR2YXucv9Is1QgBWgudUk4CHijXq2h5--AGTN9fn5BW-IXpgANGB1f9MdSOLhgKPFnsSiSr-1ik3SQizKArastt8HMC5wL8-bV17-lPFgTUujYFDbc246D3_04CUbRT1tIWNYxPWO3nyO0wD1etuYsilH-VjtaS5_BASnudjAm1dnEXdGMbbyvn

There are more advanced patterns that are contoured.

https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/?fbclid=IwAR3IVVblUnRaEnYbil1g0r8LC8bOFP344zMDpWlzmcBui19Jg8tGRx7r164

Making your own face mask? Some fabrics work better than others, study finds

Segal came up with the idea to study which fabrics would work best.

In partnership with the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, he tested a variety of cloth materials to see which ones not only allowed for breathability, but also filtered small particles — such as viruses. The research from Wake Forest has not been submitted for publication and has not been peer-reviewed.

The best masks were constructed of two layers of heavyweight "quilters cotton" with a thread count of at least 180, and had thicker and tighter weave.

Lesser quality fabrics also worked well, as long as they had an internal layer of flannel.

"You do want to use a woven fabric, like batik," Segal said, "but you don't want to use a knit fabric, because the holes between the knit stitches are bigger."

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/making-your-own-face-mask-some-fabrics-work-better-others-n1175966

Our adult son did a grocery store run early this morning. He said everyone, except for 3 people, were wearing masks. About 1/3 being homemade.

Everyone needs a crazy friend and, boy, do I have one!

mtnrdredux_gw , you are right about this issue. We are being told not to wear masks in order to save them for healthcare workers. Below is another article where the WHO is still recommending that people not wear masks. But notice the following statements:

"There also is the issue that we have a massive global shortage," Ryan said about masks and other medical supplies. "Right now the people most at risk from this virus are frontline health workers who are exposed to the virus every second of every day. The thought of them not having masks is horrific."

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the WHO, also said at Monday's briefing that it is important "we prioritize the use of masks for those who need it most," which would be frontline health care workers.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/world/coronavirus-who-masks-recommendation-trnd/index.html

The video posted above of Chris Martenson, who holds a PhD degree in pathology from Duke University, makes the most sense to me. Even if some droplets of virus are not spread by the person wearing the mask, or not ingested by the person wearing the mask, it is a help.

I bought a home-made mask from ebay. I will cut up a HEPA vacuum bag and use it as a filter.

I ran out to Lowes this am for a few quick supplies and was the only one with a mask on. Come on people! Get with it! I was buying blue shop towels as those have been shown to be a good filter for the inner layer of a homemade mask. Google it.

Outside, your link is broken.

The video that someone posted from the Duke guy above makes a really interesting point I had not heard before about viral load?

Essentially, that if you get sick from a small amount of virus particles (for lack of a better word) you will not be as severely ill. It almost makes you think we should all get exposed just a tiny tiny bit and get it over with. Excuse my ignorance, but isn't that what a vaccine is?

Anyway, this point made me feel better about this horrific feeling that there could "possibly" be a tiny particle nearly anywhere. It also helps explain why nearly all the experts are quite cavalier about virus on surfaces ... they start dying so quickly you just aren't likely to come across a lot. That's why they all say it "could happen" but they don't know of it happening.

Thank you for posting the video!

PS I feel misled about masks, which makes me a little paranoid about trusting the govt on anything.

One thing I have been thinking about a lot is the potential for food shortages. I was curious about how much of our food supply comes from China, since that has been a source of disruption for paper products. Looks like it's an odd handful of things like apple juice, tilapia, cod, processed mushrooms, candy, and garlic. Sounds like a really bad basket on Chopped.

Anyway, I don't think food shortages are going to be an issue, do you?

" Making your own face mask? Some fabrics work better than others, study finds "

This study, non peer reviewed and non published that's touted all over NBC is, sorry, looking at the issue in the wrong way.

They studied how various materials can filter out the virus, which is tiny teeny, 03 micron. Sounds like this means that they're trying to prevent incoming viruses from infecting the person who wears the mask.

However, one primary mode of transmission is through face-to-face interaction. Fact is that in normal interaction, speaking, coughing, sneezing, the virus is ensconced in droplets --- these droplets are way, way bigger than what Segal tested. Therefore,

1. The point is to look at how to prevent EMITTING these virus carrying droplets, that is, the wearer prevents transmitting his/her infection to others. And this is where face covers are extremely efficient: They block the spit droplets from leaving the mouth of an infected person.

2. So, any meaningful tests of protective mouth covers needs to test such droplets.

3. Yes, there is evidence that such droplets that are emitted by talking, sneezing, coughing can become aerosolized, ie become tiny, the size of what Segal tested. However, again, this can be prevented by emitting droplets in the first place.

Super frustrating to see some anesthesiologist's unpublished, non-peer reviewed "study" be all over the Internet.

I do worry about food shortages because the virus will affect the people who harvest, process, package, ship and transport our food. While the rules governing migrant worker visas have been eased, visa processing for those same workers has slowed or halted. I'm not saying that there will be no food, but I think there may be shortages in fresh produce and perhaps even frozen produce. I tried to find the informative article I read about the weak spots in the supply chain, but I cannot find it right now.

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Easy%20Surgical%20Mask%20Instructions.pdf?token=AWzZLLw5NG89_R1W7tiGCaxiSTp-OQ4Ttg6e8yIal6tuNjj_rDHIEPHhj1dpROBXSlpC2XkANjW9VEtE8V4kGxBIYXErprf98eK2EjmVWAHq7yIXmXvT97DhMtanLNiNqkzXaTKhvGywkSVwc1mlOwmN3UxdU3HBTWK4z4FTMNDRh4FRcIIiyu30_46kZY0TAZhUU_hdDEv8vB13kaseKisptdkOZVPxyIEZY3noVVcPbNZ-DePEECxc35FvzHCDwgvIQGBKvqY24BylyX18pOPWiqKVszmq5vxqrXZNN09jRj4hMe1Jraop4eA9ebSqcgc2dJ7Og_QYEXWDO5QkXJHA

Trying this easy one again. Apparently the first attempt was truncated. And yes, quilting fabric is best to use.

I also have a pictorial series that is very good. There are 12 step by step photos with text on each that is useful. It is very similar to the one above.

Also, some are using pipe cleaners sewn in above the nose to keep it in place. The ties seem to work as well.

nosoccermom said "This study, non peer reviewed and non published that's touted all over NBC is, sorry, looking at the issue in the wrong way. Sounds like this means that they're trying to prevent incoming viruses from infecting the person who wears the mask. "

Yes, one purpose of wearing a mask is to prevent the person wearing the mask from ingesting some of the virus. Per the video posted above of Chris Martenson, the less virus ingested, the better the body is able to fight it.

The other purpose is to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading some of the virus to others.

The article clearly states: "The research from Wake Forest has not been submitted for publication and has not been peer-reviewed."

I do worry about food shortages because the virus will affect the people who harvest, process, package, ship and transport our food. While the rules governing migrant worker visas have been eased, visa processing for those same workers has slowed or halted.

But I am thinking that, with so many people unemployed, there will be a lot of takers to fill those vacated roles. Also, I don't think I've read that other countries have had this issue.

I'd love to see the article if you find it.

Most other countries are still in the same stage, or earlier in it, than we are.

One of my local boutiques is selling Andrea Lieu face masks (I am not familiar with this designer/line). All but one of the patterns has sold out-- $30 ea

I think they look kinda badass/madmax..

My point was that the NBC video is NOT looking at how face covers worn by the general public do prevent emission of droplets --- and that's how the virus is transmitted, ie via droplets.

So that's what they should look at.

Looking at viriods or viruses at the size of 0.03 micron is not how face covers work. At that size, viroids/viruses are so small, they're airborne and can get through the sides of your face cover. They are so light and tiny that they will float around in a room (They tested in full on blast air stream, so not realistic set up).

I'm just surprised that NBC would give exposure to this kind of research.