Covid-19 miscellany

[Loren Pechtel]

Do you have a source, specifically calling for KN95 for the new UK strain?

KN95 are not tested in the US. They are tested in China ( the COO) and are equal to the US N95 masks.
Rescue Essentials has them at $1.49 ea. For small quantities. When it was my Company we sold boxes of N95 masks for $0.77 ea. But a quick survey shows that 1.49 for KN95 masks is a fair deal today.

N95 / KN95 are the best general mask... but the question I asked was regarding a cite that the CDC was saying a N95/KN95 should be used for the new variant.

I needed to use masks before they were available in April for work, so I went online, found instructions, and sewed my own two cloth ply masks and have been using them. Granted, they don't quite protect me as they are meant to protect people from me, though they fit so much tighter and better than those off the ear masks. But I'm not exactly wanting to buy masks that are of questionable quality and truth be told, other people need 95's more than me.

There's also the KF94 masks--the Korean equivalent to N95.

I figure the ones we can get without being a hospital or the like are probably not as good as the true ones--but they're still going to be better than surgical masks as they seal better. If nothing else, many of the KN95s use ear loops and a proper mask doesn't.

 

[crazyfingers]

So I have KF95 and KN95s on the way. 50 of both. I guess I did the right thing for when I must shop, etc.

Just for walking down our quiet dead-end road, where in 15 minutes I might pass two other people going the other way on the other side I'll keep using the surgical mask with a cloth mask over it.

 

[barbos]

So I have KF95 and KN95s on the way. 50 of both. I guess I did the right thing for when I must shop, etc.

Just for walking down our quiet dead-end road, where in 15 minutes I might pass two other people going the other way on the other side I'll keep using the surgical mask with a cloth mask over it.

I have been using N95 since the beginning, found whole box of them in the trash before pandemics
Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

 

[crazyfingers]

My KN95's just arrived. Just in time for my visit to my mom's assisted living for her telehealth call that I have to leave for in 20 minutes.

 

[Elixir]

Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

N95 is a testing certification, not a brand name. They're not all alike. Maybe the ones you found were thrown out because they had crap elastic.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Managed to schedule a vaccination two days from now, then second dose following. If you don't have a computer and aren't a first line responder or in a home it must be difficult to get vaccinated - at least here in PA. But will be glad to start having a normal life again.

 

[barbos]

Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

N95 is a testing certification, not a brand name. They're not all alike. Maybe the ones you found were thrown out because they had crap elastic.

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

So I have KF95 and KN95s on the way. 50 of both. I guess I did the right thing for when I must shop, etc.

Just for walking down our quiet dead-end road, where in 15 minutes I might pass two other people going the other way on the other side I'll keep using the surgical mask with a cloth mask over it.

I have been using N95 since the beginning, found whole box of them in the trash before pandemics
Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

N95 is a testing certification, not a brand name. They're not all alike. Maybe the ones you found were thrown out because they had crap elastic.

But they do inherently rely on elastic and elastic doesn't stand up to time too well.

Of the stuff I've bought more have been used up by the elastic snapping than everything else put together.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Rubber bands is a week spot in N95.

N95 is a testing certification, not a brand name. They're not all alike. Maybe the ones you found were thrown out because they had crap elastic.

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

Or maybe they "used" one and had the elastic promptly snap and decided not to rely on those.

 

[blastula]

That they're made for single use is likely the issue, not quality.

 

[barbos]

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

Or maybe they "used" one and had the elastic promptly snap and decided not to rely on those.

They don't snap promptly, in regular use (against dust) they would get dirty way before they snap.
But they are not suited for constant putting on and off only for 10 minutes runs.

 

[ZiprHead]

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

Or maybe they "used" one and had the elastic promptly snap and decided not to rely on those.

I've had that happen several times, just putting it on for the first time.

I've glued them back on. Protip: super glue doesn't work. The only other glue I hand handy was a two-step epoxy. That worked well but you have to hold it together until the glue starts setting. Then I give it a day to set completely.

 

[ZiprHead]

Biden administration orders additional 200 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is purchasing an additional 200 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, a move that could provide enough doses for nearly every American to get fully inoculated by the end of the summer, a senior administration official said Tuesday.

The new purchase of 100 million doses from Pfizer and 100 million from Moderna will be made available over the summer and are in addition to the 400 million combined doses the companies had already committed to providing to the U.S., the official said.

The agreement will lessen the country’s reliance on getting additional vaccines on the market from other manufacturers. The Trump administration had passed up on purchasing more vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna and was instead relying on additional vaccines from Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca coming to market. Johnsons & Johnson said it will release data for its single-dose vaccine in the coming days.

 

[bilby]

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

Or maybe they "used" one and had the elastic promptly snap and decided not to rely on those.

That reminds me of a Soviet era joke:

Yuri takes out a fresh box of Russian matches, lights his cigarette, and throws the rest of the box in the bin.

Ivan says "Yuri! How could you throw away an almost full box of matches?"

"It's simple," says Yuri. "I already found the one that works".

 

[barbos]

I know what N95 is.
It's actually FFP2 - European analog of N95, made by 3M.
https://rrk-krym.ru/p333424811-respirator-8102-polumaska.html

It was thrown out because people are idiots, they had used one mask out of pack of 25 and threw the rest of the pack when they were done.
I wore first one for 3 months (only when it is required) So far, I went through 5 of them, they all broke in the same place, some pretty quickly.
I think I would try to find an easy fix, if this pandemics does not stop soon.

Or maybe they "used" one and had the elastic promptly snap and decided not to rely on those.

That reminds me of a Soviet era joke:

Yuri takes out a fresh box of Russian matches, lights his cigarette, and throws the rest of the box in the bin.

Ivan says "Yuri! How could you throw away an almost full box of matches?"

"It's simple," says Yuri. "I already found the one that works".

Oh, that explains a box of watches I found the other day.

 

[lpetrich]

Coronavirus NYC: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduces bill to provide burial costs for COVID-19 victims - ABC7 New York

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has co-introduced a bill to try to force the federal government to cover funeral expenses of coronavirus victims.

Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Barbara Lee, of California, introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act on Tuesday.

The bill would require FEMA to give the families of the deceased $10,000 each to cover costs.

"We know COVID-19 has a disproportionate impact on low-income communities. The absolute least we can do is to help these families bury their loved ones. It is the very core, basic measure of human dignity. And in the richest country in the world, we should be able to allow people to bury their loved ones in dignity," Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "After our BX+Queens district became the most COVID-hit in the country, ..." / Twitter

After our BX+Queens district became the most COVID-hit in the country, I spent much of last year working on an issue that was devastating our families: funeral costs.

We finally got it done.

People will soon be able to get COVID funeral costs reimbursed.

This effort began with Elmhurst community leaders flagging early the disparate impact of COVID cases compounded w/ the devastating economic impact of funeral expenses.

We got to work right away, and partnered w/ @SenSchumer to prioritize it in relief.

After many months of work, in the tumult of the late Dec COVID package we were finally able to work in FEMA funeral reimbursement for everyone in the country who lost a loved one due to COVID.

Current status: $2 billion has been approved, and FEMA is now setting up the program.

As soon as the FEMA distribution details are finalized, we’ll share with you all how to get this needed relief.

Our aim is for all COVID losses to be eligible.

Thank you @Elmcor, @SenSchumer, @RepBarbaraLee, and the many other partners in this process to get this done.

My dad passed away when I was a teen, & I had to arrange his services. The funeral expenses were part of the financial devastation, and I never wanted anyone else to experience that. There is so much left to do.

As we fight on M4A & more, this was a small yet crucial victory.

Schumer and Ocasio-Cortez push for FEMA to provide funeral assistance to New York - CNNPolitics - That's Sen. Chuck Schumer.

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "For people asking: yes! We secured COVID funeral cost reimbursements nationwide.

This effort was inspired by my district, but the legislation covers all impacted families in the United States. More details to come as FEMA finalizes distribution details." / Twitter

 

[blastula]

NBA reporter Sekou Smith has died from covid.

 

[ZiprHead]

Georgia state lawmaker removed from House chamber after refusing Covid test
"The member in question had been advised numerous times about the requirements and had refused to be tested," the House speaker said.

A Georgia state lawmaker said his refusal to take a Covid-19 test got him kicked out of the House chambers on Tuesday.

But Georgia House Speaker David Ralston said the lawmaker, Rep. David Clark, has repeatedly refused to follow House policy which states that all members and staff be tested for the coronavirus twice a week.

"The member in question had been advised numerous times about the requirements and had refused to be tested at any point during this session," Ralston's office said in a statement on Twitter.

"The member refused to leave of his/her own accord. As such, under the authority granted to the Speaker by House Rules, the member was escorted out of the Chamber by a member of the Georgia Department of Public Safety."

Clark, a Republican, said in an emailed statement Tuesday that he arrived at the chamber ready to follow the required protocols by wearing a mask, social distancing and having his temperature taken.

But "what I will not do is be forced to have a Covid test, or any unnecessary medical test, done without a basis for doing so," he said.

No basis?

 

[ZiprHead]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/yRHZExZdr5A[/YOUTUBE]