Corona Virus

[rlown]

I kind of like their perspective, Jeff.
I say we all go down to Costco, drop the masks and do a group hug. Move this along.

[franklin411]

Franklin411- until you are tested, be careful. My grandson had pnuomonia with suspicious exposure to the corona virus, but tests came back negative. So if you think you had COVID-19, but not for sure, your illness, whatever it was, has stressed your immune system so you are more vulnerable. I hope you are right, but do not take chances right now. Stay safe.

Thanks, Daisy! Ya, I'm not licking anything on purpose, and I only go out twice a week (groceries, and gardening supplies. Plus running! Best wishes to you and your family!

[SSSdave]

Over the last couple days sheltering at home, have made 4 of the above masks. Well actually only one has braided elastic bands as am in process of getting that for head straps. Ordered 2 each 20x24x4 air filter filtretes that am able to get about 20 square feet of MERV 12 level (virus) filter fabric off of. The thin chicken wire on the filtrete is useful to form a cup shape for a mask that will not be up against the nose and mouth. Since he dun't sew like my mama. With a hot glue gun and some duct tape, made 4 so far, just like back at electronic hardware test fixture cluging as one can. Has a good seal against the face from simple band pressure of the fabric against my face skin and breathing is easy. Then amazon ordered another two like filtretes so can go into a minor afternoon diversions production on.

[TahoeJeff]

Over the last couple days sheltering at home, have made 4 of the above masks

Seriously?!?!?!(Yeah I guess the pics prove it)

[TurboHike]

David_mask1.jpg

Has a good seal against the face from simple band pressure of the fabric against my face skin and breathing is easy.

It looks like the fibers might become dislodged and you would breath those into your lungs. Are you sure this is safe? I would not want loose particles entering my lungs.

I think the CDC suggests using a densely weaved cotton cloth, double layered if necessary.

[rlown]

Dave, Why are you buying into this so much? Just a bad flu. Too much bad media time?

[Teresa Gergen]

A similar concept to SSSDave's with instructions and a video, from Texas A&M Engineering & Medicine Dept:
https://enmed.tamu.edu/DIYmasks/

They did testing in a lab to get as close as they could to an N95-level mask, and came up with the MERV HVAC filters, in between layers of sheer curtain fabric. Staples; no sewing. (Seems like if you could sew instead of staple, it'd be more comfortable.)

Another detailed article with some science and testing behind their mask design:
https://www.businessinsider.com/homemad ... ter-2020-4

[TahoeJeff]

It really is getting absurd out there:

[Wandering Daisy]

There are lots of preliminary studies out there, using less than ideal sample sizes. The fact is that nobody really knows for sure right now how far the virus spreads in the air and even if it does, how effective it is after time hanging around in sunlight. One study that did impress me was one (I think from Scripts) that found the virus is more concentrated on beaches and it is roiled up by the waves. Perhaps surfing is not a safe way to recreate right now. Some of the studies were done with the SARS virus data, not the current virus.

If you simply look at the per capita statistics and even if you multiply the by 10, the chances are small that you would walk into a cloud of virus walking your dog in spread out conditions (I may pass only a handful of people on a 5 mile walk, and then , I cross the street). But of course, if YOU are the one in 10,000 who gets it? It is all about risk mitigation, not eliminating risk totally. Everyone has their own tolerance of risk. We as a group (Americans) are pretty risk-adverse. I would be the last to criticize someone who feels differently than I do. Personally, I am doing the distancing, but still outside walking, without a mask. In the grocery store? That is a different case- there I may wear a home-made mask, however I doubt their effectiveness preventing me from getting the virus- they mainly are to prevent ME from spreading the virus if I have it but am asymptomatic.

[freestone]

If for no other purpose, the mask keeps face touching to a minimum.