Coronavirus 2019-nCov: Political Thread

[wufan]

Now that's funny!

I go out no more than 3 times per week, most of the time two.

Having said that, I also use KN95 masks (that I order on Ebay).

In my usage situation, I get 3-4 weeks out of a mask, when I can see it is getting dirty, I get rid of it (dirty=discoloration of the white material - dirt smudges and the like).

I would imagine if you are wearing your mask all day, you would probably need to change about once a week, IF you are using something similar to a KN95.

I am going to have to run several errands on Saturday (pick-up at the seafood market), trip to the hardware store to get a sheet of plexiglass and a trip to the UPS store (I need something printed for the closing on my house), so tomorrow will be a bit of an oddity for me.

Good news, though, hospitalizations are slowing down some, not only here, but also in Houston. Close the bars and make everybody wear a mask and you can beat this stuff back!

That’s not nearly often enough. You should change it as often as you do your underwear. Seriously, that’s dangerous to your health. Masks capture bacteria and mold from your mouth and they grow and fester there, then you inhale large, strong colonies.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

That’s not nearly often enough. You should change it as often as you do your underwear. Seriously, that’s dangerous to your health. Masks capture bacteria and mold from your mouth and they grow and fester there, then you inhale large, strong colonies.

That is more of a risk than the virus. Seriously!

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

That’s not nearly often enough. You should change it as often as you do your underwear. Seriously, that’s dangerous to your health. Masks capture bacteria and mold from your mouth and they grow and fester there, then you inhale large, strong colonies.

I'm wearing my mask for no more than an hour a week. Perhaps this week a little more, I went to vote and to the bakery Tuesday. I went to the store on Sunday. I have about 30 or 35 masks in the house, so I could probably change them more often.

Other than riding my bike I've been in every day.

My mask stays in my car in a hot garage. It's been over 100 degrees everyday here for the last 9 days. I would bet my car is probably 110-120. All day.

Are you sure? It seems to me like the atmospheric conditions would make growth of mold and bacteria difficult (unless it was desert fever).

P.S. Our deaths are up to 10-15 per day. But hospitalizations (and apparently new cases) are down. That means in about a week or two, we could be through this. Or at least over to the other side.

[C0|dB|00ded]

That’s not nearly often enough. You should change it as often as you do your underwear. Seriously, that’s dangerous to your health. Masks capture bacteria and mold from your mouth and they grow and fester there, then you inhale large, strong colonies.

I hope this isn't happening with mine. I don't have to wear them for very long periods of time and I cycle them out to "rest".

Oh, change them as often as underwear? They'll last me forever then!!


T


...

[wufan]

I'm wearing my mask for no more than an hour a week. Perhaps this week a little more, I went to vote and to the bakery Tuesday. I went to the store on Sunday. I have about 30 or 35 masks in the house, so I could probably change them more often.

Other than riding my bike I've been in every day.

My mask stays in my car in a hot garage. It's been over 100 degrees everyday here for the last 9 days. I would bet my car is probably 110-120. All day.

Are you sure? It seems to me like the atmospheric conditions would make growth of mold and bacteria difficult (unless it was desert fever).

P.S. Our deaths are up to 10-15 per day. But hospitalizations (and apparently new cases) are down. That means in about a week or two, we could be through this. Or at least over to the other side.

OMG! Take your damn mask out of your damn garage!!! That increases the microbial growth rate! It’s not the amount of time you wear the mask, it’s the time since you contaminated it. I’m literally worked up about this. It takes microbes 5-7 days at 85 c to grow.

Please look into this! You need to sterilize with UV light or H2O2. Alcohol wipes will probably help. Do this after every use and then keep in a cool dry place, preferably closed off from the environment (tuperwear). You can probably continue this regimen ~ a dozen times before the fit becomes bad, but you should check that on each usage.

Those “dirt smudges” you are seeing are more likely than not bacteria or mold.

[wufan]

I hope this isn't happening with mine. I don't have to wear them for very long periods of time and I cycle them out to "rest".

Oh, change them as often as underwear? They'll last me forever then!!


T


...

It’s not the time that you wear them, it’s the time between uses you need to worry about. Damn it this **** pisses me off!

[Kung Wu]

My mask stays in my car in a hot garage. It's been over 100 degrees everyday here for the last 9 days. I would bet my car is probably 110-120. All day.

Dude -- you need to study the "danger zone" in food handling. You have practically perfected the greenhouse conditions to maximize bacterial growth. Coronavirus is NOT your biggest risk at the moment.

[C0|dB|00ded]

It’s not the time that you wear them, it’s the time between uses you need to worry about. Damn it this **** pisses me off!

Now you know how I feel dealing with Covidiots!!!!!!

Please provide an easy way to make our masks safe. Perhaps a little spray bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol and mist the mask after usage?

I wish I had one of those UVC light wands but they were sold out everywhere last I looked.

[Kung Wu]

It’s not the time that you wear them, it’s the time between uses you need to worry about. Damn it this **** pisses me off!

Maybe if they spritzed those masks with a little water a couple of times a day they could grow the bacteria even more efficiently -- but other than that, they've nailed bacteria farming!

[wufan]

I am NOT a mask expert. You know what I am an expert on? There are four things where I am probably a top 10 expert in the US:

Hydrolytic degradation of opiates
Oxygenated degradation of catecholamines
Degradation of Dexmedatomidine in the presence of ozone
Clean room design in pharmaceutical manufacturing

What does that have to do with anything? I design rooms that use HEPA filtration, air exchanges, sterile filtration, and terminal sterilization to make sure that every single injectable drug is 100% free of fungi, microbes, and viruses. I review air turbulence, air locks, cascading airflow, sterile filtration, terminal filtration, particulate counts, and microbial growth. We are talking millions of samples per year in an area twice as big as your house. I know how they are transmitted, I know how they grow. I know which ones are objectionable.

There is ZERO evidence that cloth masks do ****. Surgical masks probably help a little. N95s help a lot. If you aren’t wearing a fitted mask, or worse yet, if you aren’t taking care of it, you might as well be licking a toilet seat.

Until about an hour ago, I was under the impression that masks were probably harmless, and maybe someone will do some work and find out that they help a little. Now I think they are as dangerous as Covid if people aren’t educated.

Please! Look into this guys. Weigh the risks. Make your own decision. I’m done talking about masks.

[C0|dB|00ded]

I am NOT a mask expert. You know what I am an expert on? There are four things where I am probably a top 10 expert in the US:

Hydrolytic degradation of opiates
Oxygenated degradation of catecholamines
Degradation of Dexmedatomidine in the presence of ozone
Clean room design in pharmaceutical manufacturing

What does that have to do with anything? I design rooms that use HEPA filtration, air exchanges, sterile filtration, and terminal sterilization to make sure that every single injectable drug is 100% free of fungi, microbes, and viruses. I review air turbulence, air locks, cascading airflow, sterile filtration, terminal filtration, particulate counts, and microbial growth. We are talking millions of samples per year in an area twice as big as your house. I know how they are transmitted, I know how they grow. I know which ones are objectionable.

There is ZERO evidence that cloth masks do ****. Surgical masks probably help a little. N95s help a lot. If you aren’t wearing a fitted mask, or worse yet, if you aren’t taking care of it, you might as well be licking a toilet seat.

Until about an hour ago, I was under the impression that masks were probably harmless, and maybe someone will do some work and find out that they help a little. Now I think they are as dangerous as Covid if people aren’t educated.

Please! Look into this guys. Weigh the risks. Make your own decision. I’m done talking about masks.

Holy **** Brother! You're Hired!

Now what do ya think about the 70% alcohol spray?

[wufan]

Holy **** Brother! You're Hired!

Now what do ya think about the 70% alcohol spray?

It’s good for bacteria. Spores won’t respond, and they are a greater risk, but 70% IPA is better than nothing. You shouldn’t spray it directly on the mask though. That will probably lessen the fit. Instead, spray it on a wipe and wipe it down.

Instead of using IPA, I’d recommend Hydrogen Peroxide. You can get some pretty strong stuff at Wal-Mart. Same thing; put it on a wipe and use that.

If you are using strong hydrogen peroxide, store it in the refrigerator after opening. If can crystallize and explode at mild temps. Wear gloves when handling, use in well ventalated area. If you spill any, scrub with soap and water. It’s not hard to handle safely, but you do NEED to handle safely.

[C0|dB|00ded]

It’s good for bacteria. Spores won’t respond, and they are a greater risk, but 70% IPA is better than nothing. You shouldn’t spray it directly on the mask though. That will probably lessen the fit. Instead, spray it on a wipe and wipe it down.

Instead of using IPA, I’d recommend Hydrogen Peroxide. You can get some pretty strong stuff at Wal-Mart. Same thing; put it on a wipe and use that.

If you are using strong hydrogen peroxide, store it in the refrigerator after opening. If can crystallize and explode at mild temps. Wear gloves when handling, use in well ventalated area. If you spill any, scrub with soap and water. It’s not hard to handle safely, but you do NEED to handle safely.

I'm making bombs now!!!

https://www.vaniman.com/how-to-steri...95-face-masks/

Can you wash a N95 mask or a KN95 mask?


The short answer is no…

There are two things you should definitely NOT do with any N95 or KN95 mask:

• Spraying or wetting with aerosol or liquid alcohol.
• Washing in soapy water.

N95 face masks which have a paper outer and inner layer should not be boiled, steamed, or washed because they will disintegrate the filer medium material.

Doctor Tsai of UT Knoxville performed a study that showed significant reductions in mask filtration efficiency when cleaned with alcohol or soapy water. So make sure not to use either of these methods.

If your mask is not made of the paper like outer and inner material you can potentially boil it.

Decontamination Using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide

Researchers at Duke Health recently looked into sterilizing N95 face masks by means of vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Using “specialized equipment” in their biocontainment laboratory, they successfully decontaminated N95 face masks.

The vaporized hydrogen peroxide was able to permeate the mask layers and kill microbes without deteriorating the mask.

Not every hospital has this technology available to them unfortunately, but there are other potential methods of sterilization below.

Keep in mind none of these methods are endorsed by the CDC or the mask manufacturers; however, due to the severity of the current crisis may be helpful.

Decontaminating N95 Masks Using Heat

One study performed by the University of Tennessee performed a variety of tests using heat and suggested that heating a mask at 70C for 30 minutes can provide decontamination while preserving filter integrity.

Decontaminating Masks Using UV-C Light

Another method, already in use by some hospitals, uses UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) to kill Corona Viruses. In a recent, non-peer reviewed study, N95Decon found promising data to indicate that UV-C light can effectively render COVID-19 inactive.

This was performed under specific dosing measurements and adequate light penetration onto the surface material, or FFR, of the masks.

This seemed to be one of the more promising methods provided the entire surface of the mask and straps could be dosed with adequate amounts of UV-C.

N95 vs KN95 Masks


N95 face masks are examples of personal protective equipment, or PPE, that are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and liquid contaminating the face.

They are regulated by the FDA and NIOSH (U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). The N is for “Not resistant to oil” and the 95 refers to the minimal is efficiency level at 0.3 microns (of which is it 95% efficient).

Similarly, KN95 masks are also a form of PPE used to protect the wearer from similar hazards though they are not regulated by NIOSH. These masks are often identical to N95 masks and are the “N95 equivalent” for medical usage in China.

In the US, they are primarily used in industrial settings and offer the same filtration as N95 face masks with a rating of 95% at 0.3 Micron. In fact, these masks are often produced from the same assembly line as N95 masks however are not sent for NIOSH regulation.

On April 3rd of this year, the FDA approved the use of KN95 masks for healthcare professionals in an effort to increase the available PPE face masks and lower the spread of the COVID-19.

[C0|dB|00ded]

It’s good for bacteria. Spores won’t respond, and they are a greater risk, but 70% IPA is better than nothing. You shouldn’t spray it directly on the mask though. That will probably lessen the fit. Instead, spray it on a wipe and wipe it down.

Instead of using IPA, I’d recommend Hydrogen Peroxide. You can get some pretty strong stuff at Wal-Mart. Same thing; put it on a wipe and use that.

If you are using strong hydrogen peroxide, store it in the refrigerator after opening. If can crystallize and explode at mild temps. Wear gloves when handling, use in well ventalated area. If you spill any, scrub with soap and water. It’s not hard to handle safely, but you do NEED to handle safely.

https://www.sages.org/n-95-re-use-instructions/

I can't find anything on the dangers of mold/bacteria in masks. I suspect it's not an issue anybody has ever had to consider before these times. Everything is about Covid decontamination. I'm actually not worried about that lol. My mask handling and rotation protocols are on point.

Baking in the oven at 70C (158F) seems like an easy task but isn't recommended by the CDC.

If I start wiping the mask down I will be breaking the proper mask handling protocols just mentioned.

[wufan]

Reasonable advice in those articles. I don’t know the structural integrity of N95 masks, but the chemicals that kill microbes tend to break down materials of construction including stainless steel. That’s why you shouldn’t spray them. Wipe them with a moist towelette.

No bombs please!