[Aptorian]

I reaaally don't think you're going to sell the populace on weekly anal swabs.

Sure if it was hyper virulent Ebola they were checking for, I might consider it but no fucking way a doctor is going near my ass unless I'm bleeding out of it or I've suddenly, you know, had one of those disastrous "I fell on a 30 inch plastic object" ER visits i hear so much about.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Aptorian, on 28 January 2021 - 04:50 PM, said:

I reaaally don't think you're going to sell the populace on weekly anal swabs.

Sure if it was hyper virulent Ebola they were checking for, I might consider it but no fucking way a doctor is going near my ass unless I'm bleeding out of it or I've suddenly, you know, had one of those disastrous "I fell on a 30 inch plastic object" ER visits i hear so much about.

Just add them to mandatory AI bidets. Once the hole is clean enough, a tentacle/robo-snake creeps in with the swab....

While they're at it, they can test your poop.

[Malankazooie]

Fitbit for the butt. Comprehensive examination of everything.

[Cause]

So Philladelphia had a website that was official, you sign up get placed in the que and would be called up for tour vaccine. Was called fighting covid.

Turns out the city signed a contract with a 22 year old brand new company who said he could oversee the vaccination of the whole city. 2 months later and it seems he changed his company from non-profit to a for-profit company, was caught taking home vaccine doses to give to friends after turning away seniors and telling them they didn’t have enough. Despite the fact the the government provides the vaccines for free he planned to charge insurance companies 24 dollars per vaccine.

The city acts like they are shocked and can’t believe this happened. So suddenly they have created a new website.

What a shit show. I know the grass isn’t always greener but this is book South African tender fraud.

https://www.google.c...utputType%3Damp

Forgot to add, they added in the fine print they reserved the right to sell your medics data!

This post has been edited by Cause: 28 January 2021 - 06:19 PM

[Aptorian]

Another example of those god damn socialists keeping small business men down! #MAGA #VacineforCEOs

[amphibian]

Here's a better news link about the scandal (not behind a paywall): https://www.nbcphila...riends/2682322/

What a crummy guy and an awful move by the city.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Aptorian, on 28 January 2021 - 06:43 PM, said:

Another example of those god damn socialists keeping small business men down! #MAGA #VacineforCEOs

'Startups will solve everything! They don't have all the bad old preconceived ideas ("knowledge") and will be radically efficient!' + 'Philadelphia's pro-business, pro-"innovation"!' + 'Drexel doesn't suck so much compared to Penn (the University of Pennsylvania), really'.... (CEO is a 22 year old graduate student at Drexel. Psychology rather than Business though.)

Whether / to what extent there was government corruption remains to be investigated. 'Conducting business with Philadelphia government has long been a “who you know, not what you know” affair, so Doroshin’s quick inculcation mystified many in City Hall.

It’s unclear whether anyone in the Kenney administration examined the CEO’s resumé before giving him access to the vaccines counted on to beat back the global pandemic.'

https://whyy.org/art...are-experience/

[Malankazooie]

So I guess the variants have some experts worried, particularly the one coming out of Brazil.

I guess now even if you "mask it Karen" you can still find your way to a casket. So double masking or better masks are being pushed. So what are some good ones?

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 29 January 2021 - 06:09 PM

[Aptorian]

N95 masks are pretty much it, right? Rest is pretty much just layering preventing you from spitting on things or stuffing radioactive fingers in your mouth.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 29 January 2021 - 06:09 PM, said:

So I guess the variants have some experts worried, particularly the one coming out of Brazil.

I guess now even if you "mask it Karen" you can still find your way to a casket. So double masking or better masks are being pushed. So what are some good ones?

'Jeremy Howard knows a thing or two about masks. [...]

He's a research scientist at USF and founded Masks4All trying to spread awareness about the effectiveness of masks.

[...] If you're outside in public what should you wear?

Howard says N95 masks are the way to go. They've ramped up production and the frontline workers are not facing shortages. Regardless, with the new variant, it's safer to wear a higher-quality mask.

If you're indoors what should you wear?

Howard suggests stepping up your protection with P100 masks. He says they look a little odd, almost like a gas mask, but they aren't used in medical facilities so there aren't issues with taking them away from healthcare workers. They are also reusable. He suggests removing the valve so it filters the air coming out as well as coming in. [published 2 days ago]'

https://abc7news.com...abric/10043438/

It's easier to cut out part of a cloth mask or an old N95 mask and tape it around the valve.

Earlier in this thread I cited a few studies on the effectiveness of P100 masks against virus particles. Under laboratory conditions, they seem to be more effective than N95 masks against aerosolized virus particles.

https://www.tandfonl...624.2013.818228

Another consideration:

'The results for comparing these two types of masks before and after exercise were indicated that there was no major gap in the permeability values before exercise. Whereas the results after post-exercise were more convenient for P100, nevertheless, FFR N95 failed the post-exercise criteria. Additionally, due to the probable effects on the face seal, breathing resistance, and moisture retention during the exercise and hard work, there is the risk of reshaping the mask. In this regard, rigid FFRs like P100 could maintain their form in humid and high temperature compared to the N95 [36]. This efficiency is proved by several studies, where the experimental results on the high volumetric flow showed that the mean penetration for N95 and P100 are respectively, 2 and 0.03%.'

https://www.scienced...452199X20301481

Here's a recent study on expired P100 cartridges (5 years past their expiration date):

'Filtration evaluation and clinical use of expired elastomeric P-100 filter cartridges during the COVID-19 pandemic

[...] In an effort to rapidly verify the filtering efficiency of our elastomeric respirator supply and to ensure the safety of our provider staff, we evaluated a sample of our P100 filter cartridges using quantitative methods.

[...] Our studies demonstrated that the filtration efficiency of P100 filter cartridges past their 5-year expiration date was not significantly different from that of an N95 respirator (3M 1860) (P > .05), although it was <99.97%. These studies are preliminary, but they suggest the possibility of safely implementing expired filter cartridges in elastomeric respirators during limited resource scenarios and patient surges, particularly during the significant logistical challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.'

https://www.ncbi.nlm...les/PMC7272694/

P100 elastomeric respirators are available on Amazon in the US. This one's good (UK company, so it may also be available in the UK and elsewhere):

https://www.amazon.c...5495b96a10&th=1

There's some confusion in the (user submitted) 'Answers' section about its effectiveness against viruses and COVID-19. However, the P100 designation and the manufacturer's website do indicate it should be effective.

'Half-mask for protection from dust, metal fumes, oil and water mists and micro-organisms, i.e. bacteria and viruses'

http://www.gvs.com/p...amily/223/1035/

'A P100 rating is the highest for personal respiratory protection. As long as your mask fits properly a P100 filter will block 99.9% of particles .3 microns or larger.'

https://pksafety.com...%20respirators.)

'aerosolized viral particles were detectable in high concentrations in rooms where providers were doffing PPE, and the majority of these particles were 0.25 to 0.5 μm. [μm = micron] Another study has found that aerosolized viral particles of COVID-19 are detectable in the air 3 h after aerosolization'

https://intjem.biome...245-020-00296-8

'the replaceable filters have a minimum protection efficiency of greater than 99.97% of particles of 0.3 microns while they achieve 99.98% for 0.04 micron particules. The Elipse P100 mask carries the highest safety classification for a particulate filter.'

https://www.amazon.c...5495b96a10&th=1

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 29 January 2021 - 07:59 PM

[Cause]

They never really talk about face seals and beard.

If you have hair where the mask touches your face that’s a gap big enough for particles to get through. There are different sizes of n95 too. Normally to get permission to work in a lab for example you would need a certificate of a face seal test. You out on the mask, they put on a hood and they spray in something like aspartamine powder. If you taste seeet on your tongue you failed.

Though we’re not dealing with a deadly airborne virus and the average person is not sticking their face into a sick persons and doing a throat exam either. I don’t know if they are simply saying better masks are better protection which is surely true but I’m not sure if for the average person going grocery shopping it really matters if it’s n95 or cloth mask or two masks.

We are very lucky that for all this is a bad virus it’s relatively tame. I by no means exclude myself from this but people have terrible mask discipline and terrible face touching discipline from what I have seen.

Anyway no reason to think it won’t help but really the only reason to wear two masks is if your wearing the n95 incorrectly. Which most people are. Also the universal mask mandate really makes mask wearing more about not breathing on others than it is about breathing in what covid is in thei air.

We should be focusing on making masks mandatory in more places and improving mask acceptance amongst the skeptical rather than getting people who do mask to wear twice as many.

[Mentalist]

Just found out that my eldest cousin back home is in ICU. He was on oxygen for 2 days, now he's on a respirator.

His wife has it too, apparently, but not as bad. They had their first kid in July, but he seems fine, thankfully.

My dad didn't mention this to me; he and my mom are having another spazz, since everyone is on edge from the ongoing quarantine.

Sigh.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

New CDC guidelines:

'The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order late Friday requiring people on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares to wear a face mask while waiting, boarding, traveling and disembarking. The order applies to those traveling into, within or out of the U.S.

The agency said violating the rules could result in criminal penalties.'

https://www.usatoday...rus/4308370001/

'This Order must be followed by all passengers on public conveyances (e.g., airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States as well as conveyance operators (e.g., crew, drivers, conductors, and other workers involved in the operation of conveyances) and operators of transportation hubs ( e.g., airports, bus or ferry terminals, train or subway stations, seaports, ports of entry) or any other area that provides transportation in the United States.

People must wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose when awaiting, boarding, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances. People must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States.

[...]

The following do not fulfill the requirements of the Order.

Masks worn in a way that does not cover both the mouth and nose
Face shields or goggles (face shields or goggles may be worn to supplement a mask that meets above required attributes)
Scarves, ski masks, balaclavas, or bandannas
Shirt or sweater collars (e.g., turtleneck collars) pulled up over the mouth and nose.
Masks made from loosely woven fabric or that are knitted, i.e., fabrics that let light pass through
Masks made from materials that are hard to breathe through (such as vinyl, plastic or leather)
Masks containing slits, exhalation valves, or punctures
Masks that do not fit properly (large gaps, too loose or too tight)'

https://www.cdc.gov/..._01-29-21-p.pdf

'Too tight'? Not sure what the reasoning is there---that it will cause medical issues which will force the person to take it off? Or be too uncomfortable to wear?

So if you're wearing an elastomeric P100 mask, covering the exhalation valve (or removing it if possible) with (part of) another mask will be necessary on public transport or at transport hubs. Unfortunately I could imagine the clause about 'materials that are hard to breathe through, (such as vinyl, plastic' could be misinterpreted by the people enforcing this as banning elastomeric masks even with covered valves.

[Edit: not clear on the scope of 'or any other area that provides transportation in the United States.' Highways? Roads?... in your car? On the sidewalk?]

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 30 January 2021 - 11:36 PM

[Malankazooie]

He is such an inspiration. I'm really hoping all of those laps bolstered his lungs so he recovers.

Captain Tom Moore hospitalised with Covid

*link is to Evening Standard (UK) - www.standard.co.uk

[Maark Abbott]

Malankazooie, on 31 January 2021 - 10:48 PM, said:

He is such an inspiration. I'm really hoping all of those laps bolstered his lungs so he recovers.

Captain Tom Moore hospitalised with Covid

*link is to Evening Standard (UK) - www.standard.co.uk

I hope he recovers. I take his story more as a condemnation of what the UK has become, mind - an old war veteran raising money for the health service that the sitting party could afford to put into the health service but simply doesn't want to because there's no profit to it. Commendable on his part for sure, but a damning indictment of this government at the same time.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

My dad's had a text inviting him to call and book a vaccine. He's not in the age groups they're working through, and might class as clinically vulnerable but if so that begs the question why he was told he shouldn't be shielding (albeit, with a lot of conflicting advice and back and forth about it).

He's a technophobe and panics easily so I have to be a bit careful about how I suggest "check it's legitimate". Ended up just advising he call his GP - he's been invited to a different surgery but they should know if he's been invited/should have been yet. Bit of a headache.

[QuickTidal]

Maark Abbott, on 01 February 2021 - 08:54 AM, said:

Malankazooie, on 31 January 2021 - 10:48 PM, said:

He is such an inspiration. I'm really hoping all of those laps bolstered his lungs so he recovers.

Captain Tom Moore hospitalised with Covid

*link is to Evening Standard (UK) - www.standard.co.uk

I hope he recovers. I take his story more as a condemnation of what the UK has become, mind - an old war veteran raising money for the health service that the sitting party could afford to put into the health service but simply doesn't want to because there's no profit to it. Commendable on his part for sure, but a damning indictment of this government at the same time.

Seems like he passed.

[Mezla PigDog]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 03 February 2021 - 01:42 PM, said:

My dad's had a text inviting him to call and book a vaccine. He's not in the age groups they're working through, and might class as clinically vulnerable but if so that begs the question why he was told he shouldn't be shielding (albeit, with a lot of conflicting advice and back and forth about it).

He's a technophobe and panics easily so I have to be a bit careful about how I suggest "check it's legitimate". Ended up just advising he call his GP - he's been invited to a different surgery but they should know if he's been invited/should have been yet. Bit of a headache.

I've got a friend who is clinically vulnerable as she is on long term steroids. She's 42, not shielding, invited for vaccine this week. I think different GP surgeries are dealing with the kind of in between people differently depending on how much vaccine they have locally. I believe if they have Pfizer vaccine and it needs using up they can interpret the guidance how they want. I'd say go for it!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Mezla PigDog, on 03 February 2021 - 04:43 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 03 February 2021 - 01:42 PM, said:

My dad's had a text inviting him to call and book a vaccine. He's not in the age groups they're working through, and might class as clinically vulnerable but if so that begs the question why he was told he shouldn't be shielding (albeit, with a lot of conflicting advice and back and forth about it).

He's a technophobe and panics easily so I have to be a bit careful about how I suggest "check it's legitimate". Ended up just advising he call his GP - he's been invited to a different surgery but they should know if he's been invited/should have been yet. Bit of a headache.

I've got a friend who is clinically vulnerable as she is on long term steroids. She's 42, not shielding, invited for vaccine this week. I think different GP surgeries are dealing with the kind of in between people differently depending on how much vaccine they have locally. I believe if they have Pfizer vaccine and it needs using up they can interpret the guidance how they want. I'd say go for it!

Thanks Mez, that's reassuring to hear. I did think it was most likely legit but having seen a few things locally about scam texts, and knowing he's a bit frightened by technology... one of those times where being 40 miles away and unable to go sucks a bit.

[Maark Abbott]

Yeah, Captain Tom passed.

Government are attempting to call for 'national unity' over this, rather than, you know, funding the health service. Tories all over. Lip service but both hands are carrying knives.

Anyway I just had my results back aaaaaaaaand no cobids. Yay!