19 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

So.......

Even with travel restrictions, we all have to leave the house sometimes, even if its just to get food. We know there's a pretty much worldwide shortage of PPE for frontline responders much less for regular people, but considering the situation and many state requirements, everyone has to find some way to protect themselves (or at least feel protected even if its false security) while outside.

When I leave the house, I'm confronted by people in a large variety of gear, from makeshift bandanas to actual N95's to blue safety masks, to pulling their jackets up over their faces, and even the rare, apprehensive-looking straggler with no mask at all, getting stern looks from passersby.

There's no conformity of any sort, and you can tell when entering a place like Walmart (or any other store) that the chains are not supplying to their employees. They are very obviously wearing anything they can find or make, and every man for himself.

Just from idle curiosity, since I know Avsim has a worldwide membership: Where are you all getting your masks?

How hard is it to get them?

Are you reusing them?

 

Around here, almost nobody is wearing a mask, with few exceptions

Edited May 8, 20206 yr by Bert Pieke

The big push now for wearing masks has to do with the high potential of asymptomatic carriers, simple masks like cotton seem to help if you are a asymptomatic carrier, it reduces the chance of you spreading it. However it won't be that effective in preventing you from getting it (unless you have something like the N95 mask), but if everyone wears a masks that reduces the overall pool of potential airborne viruses that can be past along. In the beginning when folks were being told don't bother with wearing masks that was because they were not that effective in preventing you from getting it (virus to small for most masks to block), but now we know a high percentage of folks can be asymptomatic it now makes sense because it helps reduce passing it on from asymptomatic carriers. Any infected droplets that get expelled while coughing will get absorbed by the mask material, thus reducing the chance of spread. Last week California put in place a mandatory requirement that everyone out in public must have a mask on! Some pretty creative masks showing up!  

Martin

48 minutes ago, HiFlyer said:

Where are you all getting your masks?

How hard is it to get them?

Are you reusing them?

 

I had just happed to buy a 15 pack of the blue medical style masks right before this all happened. I put one on when I change the cat box 😂😂 It’s not so much the smell but the dust gets in the air and I get tired of having to hold my breath while I scoop cat litter or change the box.

That being said, here in Dallas I’ve seen stores selling them and hand sanitizer.

I just resumed going back to work yesterday after working from home for 6 weeks or so. I’m a sales rep and have to call on customers so I’m out and about a bit. While being out all day yesterday and today, I’d say that roughly half the people I saw were wearing masks while out and about. 

I had my mask on and off all day. I’d enter a location with it on and if they weren’t wearing I’d ask them if they preferred me to have me keep mine on. If they said no, I’d sometimes remove it if we weren’t too close and they weren’t coughing or sneezing. I didn’t do any hand shaking and kept my hands clean all day.

I’m reusing mine btw. I keep it hanging from my rear view mirror in my car. I suppose the sun hitting it all day and the heat keeps it disinfected.

 

6 minutes ago, MartinRex007 said:

Some pretty creative masks showing up!  

 

Yeah, even the fashion designers are getting in on the act. Wolford is now producing nice looking masks.

https://www.wolfordshop.com/new-arrivals/care-mask-by-wolford/96230.html

2 hours ago, cmpbellsjc said:

Yeah, even the fashion designers are getting in on the act. Wolford is now producing nice looking masks.

https://www.wolfordshop.com/new-arrivals/care-mask-by-wolford/96230.html

Hmmmmm..... Looks kinda like these, which are much cheaper...... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Face-Mask-x1-Washable-Reusable-1-Replaceable-Filter-Made-In-Korea/223984864769?hash=item342689ce01:m:mhTWfbRDAwFYxCQPzhpLuZw&var=522742566327

If the science interests you, here's a fascinating look at Iceland, which has genetic information on most of its population.
They were able to see uniquely where the virus came from, when it infected someone. 

Even if the science is too much for you, take it in 4 10 minute bites: Kari Stefansson's demeanour is a lesson in restraint.  

 

Edited May 9, 20206 yr by WingZ

If you want to see the track of the haplotype I think Kari Stefansson's is referring to that arrived from Europe to Iceland, it's the light green track (haplotype ORF1a) on the second graph that shows the world, just click the Play button and see how it and other haplotypes have spread around the world from Wuhan China.

Nice video, thanks for posting.

Martin

https://www.gisaid.org/epiflu-applications/next-hcov-19-app/

Edited May 9, 20206 yr by MartinRex007

I had to accompany my brother to the cancer clinic last week.  He's in a long term care facility and usually a nurse goes with him.  They called me to meet him at the clinic and go in with him because no nurse was available that day.  At the entrance a nurse took our temperature and then gave each of us a mask.  So I have one of those blue ones now.  But I'm going along with the majority and not wearing it when I go out.

Noel

In the UK wearing of masks isn't widespread, certainly in my area.

22 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

Where are you all getting your masks?

Sorry to be late to this discussion - I took time out to post in a couple of threads that were actually about flight simulation (!).  Recovering from the shock and novelty now....

By way of an answer... you already know one of my sources. 😎

Previously, I'd placed a couple of orders on Amazon, so in addition to those excellent custom ones, I've now got a decent supply of disposable surgical masks, as well as a set of cloth masks from South Korea that take filters (sold separately).

I haven't really looked into designer masks yet.  I'd like to get a Washington Wizards one, but they're not yet offering a dark-gray-on-dark-gray version to match my favorite Wizards hat.

Maybe once I'm all decked out, I'll post some pictures.

Whoa!  I spoke too soon: https://store.nba.com/washington-wizards/adult-washington-wizards-fanatics-branded-tonal-cloth-face-covering-made-in-usa/t-25929742+p-703224573804+z-8-497060473?_ref=p-CLP:m-GRID:i-r0c1:po-1

My ensemble will soon be complete!

Just now, Alan_A said:

Whoa!  I spoke too soon: https://store.nba.com/washington-wizards/adult-washington-wizards-fanatics-branded-tonal-cloth-face-covering-made-in-usa/t-25929742+p-703224573804+z-8-497060473?_ref=p-CLP:m-GRID:i-r0c1:po-1

My ensemble will soon be complete!

LOL!

What can I say?  They're a terrible basketball team.  But they're mine.

23 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

Just from idle curiosity, since I know Avsim has a worldwide membership: Where are you all getting your masks?

How hard is it to get them?

Are you reusing them?

My handyman brought several N95 masks he had for his woodworking shop that I used for the first week. Then he brought one of the simpler masks (three layers of cloth with a disposable filter that I used for about a week when out of the house shopping, banking, etc.

In the meantime I ordered 20 KN95 masks from Walmart's on-line website. About a month later I finally received them, but in the meantime Walmart refunded my payment since they determined that the order wasn't fulfilled. They advised me that if they ever arrived I was free to give them away or keep and use them.

I had also ordered 40 of the 'blue disposable' masks from a company in China. Those were delivered last week. I've shared some each type with my closest neighbors who'd been unable to find any themselves. I carry 20 of the disposable masks (sealed in individual plastic) in my car so I can give them to poor and elderly folks who don't have any of their own.

I can get a lot of "mileage" out of even the blue disposable masks by carefully spraying them down with a powerful disinfectant then hanging them up to dry...

I have to remember to go start my car at least once a week to keep the battery charged, even though it's only a month old.

1 hour ago, n4gix said:

In the meantime I ordered 20 KN95 masks from Walmart's on-line website.

The KN95's apparently hail from china, and I was wary of them right from the start. Recent events have made me even more concerned. Governments worldwide have begun rejecting KN95's.

Just google KN95 masks rejected.

Doctors and nurses have been rejecting them unless forced, and the national funeral directors of america just issued a warning.

Edited May 9, 20206 yr by HiFlyer