Coronavirus

[muzzer]

I'm not sure how difficult / costly it is to obtain face masks. I haven't been out enough to make me concerned to get masks to use. Yet. If I was in Scotland I would be thinking how to make an effective mask and not deprive care/medical workers of the manufactured item.

This site seems to have useful information - including references to published studies. Can a DIY mask catch viruses?:

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/diy-homemade-mask-protect-virus-coronavirus/?rel=1

Can masks intercept Covid-19 particles?:

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/can-masks-capture-coronavirus/?rel=1

Merits of various materials to make masks:

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-diy-coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-covid/

NOTE: I have read (along the way) that some HEPA filters contain fibreglass strands - so take care to check before using that material.

If you are intending to source manufactured masks, information here that "ordinary" surgical masks are surprisingly effective in general:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/...navirus/?rel=1

Imho this is just what the government should be telling everyone. Don’t buy masks that are needed by medics. Make your own. I can only conclude the government knows this would rightly before now have played very badly, as pointing up oh so clearly quite how badly it’s failed in having any stocks in place.

[LHC]

Imho this is just what the government should be telling everyone. Don’t buy masks that are needed by medics. Make your own. I can only conclude the government knows this would rightly before now have played very badly, as pointing up oh so clearly quite how badly it’s failed in having any stocks in place.

Without in any way excusing our govts failings on PPE, difficulties in obtaining and distributing PPE is widespread across all healthcare systems

German doctors have repeatedly appealed for more PPE since the arrival of the virus in Germany in late January.

Medical practices, clinics and care homes have made frequent requests for filter masks, goggles, gloves and aprons and say their needs have barely been met.

Medical staff have also reported widespread theft of disinfectant and masks from hospitals, for which police have blamed organised criminal gangs. Many hospitals have increased their security as a result.

A recent study by an association of German health insurers found that doctors were lacking more than 100m single-use masks, almost 50m filter masks, more than 60m single-use aprons, and a similar number of disposable gloves.

Dentists in France have launched a campaign against the lack of protective equipment and being forced to work in an emergency in a pandemic, risking their lives.

Despite promises from President Donald Trump that private companies would start pumping out personal protective equipment (PPE), doctors and nurses are still pleading for more gloves, gowns, masks, and, most of all, N95 respirators.

This crisis poses a threat to the safety of health care providers and workers on the front lines who are keeping society functioning by staffing grocery stores, delivering packages, and collecting trash.

I understand that in the US the general public are being advised to make their own masks using items of clothing such as T shirts.

[Cockney Sparrow]

.....I understand that in the US the general public are being advised to make their own masks using items of clothing such as T shirts.

Its amongst the fibres ranked in the article below - not the best, nor the worst for a Home made mask :

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-diy-coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-covid/

#1977 above refers.

[Dave2002]

Its amongst the fibres ranked in the article below - not the best, nor the worst for a Home made mask :

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/...aterial-covid/

#1977 above refers.

That link doesn’t seem to work.

[Cockney Sparrow]

That link doesn’t seem to work.

Thanks. I've edited it so it does. Its https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/...aterial-covid/

[Dave2002]

A helpful reminder of the difference between mean, median and mode in More or Less (R4) this morning.

Simple arguments (based on means) get quite a long way, but are less good for skewed distributions. This idea helps to explain some apparent anomalies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000hn4s

It appears that the distributions for deaths and also for infections are skewed, with some people taking longer to be detected with infection, and some people (sadly) taking longer to die, which skews the data.

[DracoM]

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/232/online-harms-and-disinformation/publications/written-evidence/

Concerning misinformation online ref Corona.

[johnb]

Its amongst the fibres ranked in the article below - not the best, nor the worst for a Home made mask :

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-diy-coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-covid/

#1977 above refers.

IMO it is worth having a look at the 2013 Cambridge paper that the Smartair people refer to and seem to be using as a starting point. (They provide a link to it.) It seems that the testing methodologies might be somewhat different. The title of the Cambridge paper is "Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic?" and looks at the effectiveness of various materials in blocking aerosol transmission from an individual.

Their conclusion was "Our findings suggest that a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection."

The paper includes a table listing the effectiveness of ten materials tested with aerosols of Bacillus atrophaeus and Bacteriophage. Of the materials tested it found that surgical masks were most effective (96%, 90% respectively) closely followed by vacuum cleaner bag material (94%, 86%). 100% cotton T-shirt material came in at 69%, 51%.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katy-Anne_Thompson2/publication/258525804_Testing_the_Efficacy_of_Homemade_Masks_Would_They_Protect_in_an_Influenza_Pandemic/links/53fefd8f0cf21edafd154e85/Testing-the-Efficacy-of-Homemade-Masks-Would-They-Protect-in-an-Influenza-Pandemic.pdf

[Belgrove]

Another excellent extended interview where Neil Ferguson responds to the criticisms of Johann Giesecke to the IC model, discusses the consequences of different lockdown strategies and their lifting, and the interaction between scientists and politicians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cYjjEB3Ev8

[Count Boso]

Another excellent extended interview where Neil Ferguson responds to the criticisms of Johann Giesecke to the IC model, discusses the consequences of different lockdown strategies and their lifting, and the interaction between scientists and politicians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cYjjEB3Ev8

For goodness sake, though - look at the comments underneath (as far as I bothered to read, which wasn't too far). Very anti. It seems more honest (if disappointing to people who just want answers) to convey all the scientific uncertainties of a situation which changes daily as more data arrive). Giesecke was much more definite, critical, which may be more appealing but I didn't get the sense that the evidence was strong enough to be so critical. Ferguson also made the point that Sweden has 'advice' which on the whole Swedes have taken. The population hasn't been carrying with their lives as normal.

[muzzer]

Without in any way excusing our govts failings on PPE, difficulties in obtaining and distributing PPE is widespread across all healthcare systems







I understand that in the US the general public are being advised to make their own masks using items of clothing such as T shirts.

Yes I’ve seen several DIY guides.
God how depressing.
What I’d like to be able to do right now is go to a country pub with a massive gang of mates about 30 years ago. I’ve had enough of now.

[Dave2002]

There was a normalised graph showing comparisons of different countries at today's press conference. It did give a somewhat different view of the data. There does look like the start of a long slow decline from the peak (infections - probably also hospital deaths) - but it's going to give a lot of new cases - area under the curves is what counts.

Glad to see the normalised graph - which is what I wished for a few days back.

[muzzer]

A pint of Watneys Red Barrel for yourself & a Babycham with a cherry & umbrella for her - & a pickled egg to share?

30 years ago not 40!

[Maclintick]

30 years ago not 40!

...& a few more besides....revisionist appreciation of Watney's here:

https://boakandbailey.com/2019/01/watneys-red-barrel-how-bad-could-it-have-been/

...pickled eggs are still quite easy to find...brandy-&-Babycham being touted as a pick-me-up in my student years, as I recall...

[muzzer]

Yes there’s a new version of Grotney’s Pale Ale I’ve been offered at my favourite watering hole. They look aghast when I explain the horrors of the Party 7.