Coronavirus prep
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Our Mayor in Chicago said if the young people don't start wearing masks and practice social distancing, we are going back to Phase 3 which means closing businesses, restaurants, salons and THE GYM!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!
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autumnblade75 wrote: »ExistingFish wrote: »I've tested with my oximeter before and after wearing a cloth mask at work for 2-3 hours, including walking up a hill and stairs and restocking the break room. No change.
At times when I would typically be breathing hard it was a little uncomfortable but I was still able to catch my breath. Obviously just anecdotal but I have seen several doctors and nurses and say that people who struggle to breathe wearing a mask are claustrophobic and having a minor panic attack, and that even asthmatics and COPD patients can safely wear a mask.
Considering folks in emergency medicine have been wearing masks for extended periods of time for many decades, you would think if it was even remotely dangerous there would be numerous wide-ranging studies showing proven adverse health effects. It is also quite common in other countries during flu season, yet there is no international call to avoid masks. Seems odd if they are a health risk.
Essential workers should at least be getting breaks throughout the day where they can get a couple of minutes of fresh air. If not, the issue isn't that mask directives are a problem but that their employer is mistreating them. Which I'm sure is happening by the way.
In my office we are required to wear a mask whenever we are within 6 ft of another person and whenever it's reasonable to think you could be, like in the hallway. It's a small building, so that pretty much means all the time, except when I'm in my office with the door closed.
I have always been able to catch my breath, but sucking in air hard enough to bring the mask to my mouth - which puts it far more danger of getting wet - which isn't good for it.
I'm not claustrophobic, and I know what panic attacks feel like. I have had them.
I just do my best to limit instances where I need them. Grocery shopping once a week. No extra outings.
Why not change the mask so it can't be sucked in? Some sort of stiffening material sewn on or get the ones that look more like a duck's bill.
Those stiffer masks? Even harder to breathe through. I'm following the conversation because I have questions about how dangerous my mask is to me now that UPS is finally requiring them, and it's 90 degrees OUTSIDE, hotter in the warehouse with no air conditioning. I'm stopping to drink water every 15 minutes, but certainly I am not given enough time to sanitize hands before removing the mask and then after replacing it as I am expected to be able to catch my hydration in between pieces of work flowing past me on a conveyor belt. Ha. So, I'm contaminating the mask with whatever's on my hands each time (Oh, yeah, and the recommendation is to use soap and water when hands are visibly dirty, which is pretty much all day in a warehouse - remember how you guys were all gung-ho on the sanitizer a few days ago?) and then if I'm sick, spreading a concentrated dose of my own germs on all the packages thereafter.
The past 2 days, I've been assigned outside my own area. Within 30 minutes my mask is not just damp from exhalations, but DRIPPING down my face with sweat. It would be nice not to be considered selfish not to wear a mask when my options are Maybe-if-I'm-sick-even-though-I-feel-well-someone-might-get-close-to-me-and-I-could-infect-them vs I'm-going-to-pass-out-from-dehydration-or-heat-stroke. Especially when I'm working in the far end of a trailer, 30 feet from my nearest co-worker.
That sounds awful. Are you using a mask with ear loops or one that goes around your head? I only touch the ear loops on my mask to take it on and off.
I don't think anyone would consider you selfish for not wearing a mask in the heat when there are no people nearby. If UPS is requiring you to wear a mask regardless, I don't know what to tell you. I'd say if you are concerned about your hands being dirty, the important thing is to not touch your face, but when you're dripping with sweat that's easier said than done too. I'm sorry, I know for some people's situations there are no easy answers. I'm sure those in this thread talking about selfish people not wearing masks are referring to folks browsing in the AC in the grocery store or walking through the hall at the office, not you sweating your butt off moving all our packages along.
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »canadjineh wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »
Those stiffer masks? Even harder to breathe through. I'm following the conversation because I have questions about how dangerous my mask is to me now that UPS is finally requiring them, and it's 90 degrees OUTSIDE, hotter in the warehouse with no air conditioning. I'm stopping to drink water every 15 minutes, but certainly I am not given enough time to sanitize hands before removing the mask and then after replacing it as I am expected to be able to catch my hydration in between pieces of work flowing past me on a conveyor belt. Ha. So, I'm contaminating the mask with whatever's on my hands each time (Oh, yeah, and the recommendation is to use soap and water when hands are visibly dirty, which is pretty much all day in a warehouse - remember how you guys were all gung-ho on the sanitizer a few days ago?) and then if I'm sick, spreading a concentrated dose of my own germs on all the packages thereafter.
The past 2 days, I've been assigned outside my own area. Within 30 minutes my mask is not just damp from exhalations, but DRIPPING down my face with sweat. It would be nice not to be considered selfish not to wear a mask when my options are Maybe-if-I'm-sick-even-though-I-feel-well-someone-might-get-close-to-me-and-I-could-infect-them vs I'm-going-to-pass-out-from-dehydration-or-heat-stroke. Especially when I'm working in the far end of a trailer, 30 feet from my nearest co-worker.
Sounds like you just need a new employer, instead of the dangerous slave-driver you have now. (wink of irony accompanied by light sarcasm, but not aimed specifically at you....
)
From anything I've heard UPS is a decent employer. Many essential jobs cannot be performed seated in an air conditioned office.
@autumnblade75 have you tried the cooling gaiter style? You can soak them in cold water over and over again.
https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Cooling-Gaiter-Wears-Cools/dp/B08BPFPQ22
UPS has it's pros and cons. I don't expect to find anything that would suit me better, even if this was a reasonable time to start job hunting. I am not looking to walk away right now, as I have been there long enough to earn 4 weeks of vacation per year, and I don't have any expectation that the next job would actually be any better. Certainly I would expect the insurance situation to be worse... I pay $0 for myself and my husband - and the coverage is better than his insurance, through the hospital (which wasn't free).
I fully accept that I have to sneak sips of water when the work allows. I've been there long enough to know that summertime means saturated clothing. I chose a physical job because I prefer it.
But.
A wet mask against your face traps bacteria against your skin. The additional steps of pulling down the mask and replacing it, even though it only takes a few seconds, is complicating my hydration strategy. I do not enjoy feeling as though I'm waterboarding myself. Even though the brand new sign on the door says "No Exceptions" many of my coworkers are still walking around bare-faced. I do not trust that the benefit of filtering my own potential viral load outweighs these risks.
And This is a Brand New Rule. For 3 of the 4 months since the State of Illinois issued the Stay At Home Order, I wore my mask voluntarily without complaint. Even though most co-workers didn't. I sewed masks for anyone who asked. I liked how sewing the masks kept me away from the computer, so I didn't see all the stupid arguments. I donated over a hundred of them, too. When it was all voluntary. Now, it's compulsory, and most of my coworkers are not covering all their breathing holes and are generally acting like it's a big joke, and I'm finding I have more anxiety inside my own mask. Anxiety that I don't have when I'm wearing a nice, clean, dry mask for 15 minutes at WalMart. And I want to emphasize that during this 4 months of free-for-all, there was only 1 case of Covid19 in the facility. A driver. That's all I know. It's long enough that he should have either died or started recovering, but there's no word about which. We've asked.
As for cooling gaiters: No. I have no way of telling the fiber content of their proprietary fabric, but I'm not willing to risk whether it filters anything. I don't want ANY wet fabric clinging to my face, but if I must choose, I'll keep with the 2 layers of quilting cotton, which, I've read, becomes more efficient at filtering as it becomes moist. There was no mention of how it handles once it's saturated, though, and most sources are saying to change your mask if it's damp. A gaiter also doesn't address my main concern about how to handle hydration. There's still cross-contamination if you haven't got time or resources to be washing your hands every time you take a sip of water. And we're still trapping bacteria against the face in a nice moist growing environment. Super.8 -
ExistingFish wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »ExistingFish wrote: »moonangel12 wrote: »This article has a great visual for why we should wear masks. Petri dishes!
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/masks-dont-reduce-your-oxygen-levels-doctor-debunks-facial-covering-claim-in-experiment
The friend I walk with had settled down this week, but did say her husband found pictures online showing the size of the virus vs. standard weave of a fabric mask and was wondering what the point of wearing masks was since it could could obviously fit through... that the masks couldn’t block it at all. Had to explain that the mask doesn’t block the virus, it just keeps your droplets from spreading further than without it.
That article is ridiculous, it isn't when you first put it on, it's after hours of wear that it reduces your oxygen level.
This study has it's limitations, but it shows a reduction in blood oxygen and increase in pulse rate after 1 hour of surgical mask wear, especially for those over 35. It was on surgeons. It admittedly has limitations, but I'd put more stock in this limited study that than anecdotal "two minutes" in each mask example.
http://scielo.isciii.es/pdf/neuro/v19n2/3.pdf
I've seen several of those "I put on ___ masks and look at my pulse ox! except...they don't wear them for an 8-hour or 12-hour shift. They wear them for two or five minutes. Sitting. And look how the public eats it up!
@ExistingFish thanks for sharing the piece wearing masks for hours at a time impacts Oxygen levels in a negative way. I do not think there is anyone here that wears a surgical for 8-12 hour shifts that did not already know that fact. A dash into WM is a different story because it may help reduce the spread in case of major coughing fit but maybe even more it reduces the risk of pushing emotionally stressed out people into causing others physical harm in this cracking mental health pandemic.
I don't think Walmart or Kroger or Target employees are given information about the impact of long term mask-wearing before their 8-hour shifts. I mean they probably take them off for breaks and lunch, but still.
My sister is in healthcare and has to wear an N95 for her 12-hour shift, put it in a baggy, and wear it again the next day. Usually with a cloth mask over it, which makes it even harder to breathe.
I guess you mean laypeople aren't wearing them all day, but employees in direct contact with the public are.
My husband wears his N95 + cloth mask or surgical mask over it, and a face shield. For hours at a time (he works in different offices & hospitals, so usually he will have some mask free time in his car going to a different location), 5-7 days a week. He is mid hospital week, so it’s 12-14 hrs a day. No oxygen issues, no adverse effects. Same for the rest of his colleagues, most of whom are older and less fit than he. After a known exposure early on in lockdown he wore his cloth mask at all times (except eating, sleeping, and showering) for 2 weeks.
So I’m just not buying the complaints of health issues wearing them to shop or to a dr appt or what have you. I get that N95S are hot and uncomfortable outside in the heat—I hated wearing mine and wrangling my kids out of the car and into a building—So def sympathy for people having to wear them outside doing truly heavy labor. But that’s not most of us.15 -
Today, a local buffet joint had to close down. The owner is in the hospital and spouse has it, too. They didn't believe in masks for the staff or anyone. Experience had to be their teacher. Now, they're out there telling everyone this is real y'all. We should've listened and this is 10x worse than the flu. Can't see the forest for the trees. It gives me a really big pinch.
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Diatonic12 wrote: »Today, a local buffet joint had to close down. The owner is in the hospital and spouse has it, too. They didn't believe in masks for the staff or anyone. Experience had to be their teacher. Now, they're out there telling everyone this is real y'all. We should've listened and this is 10x worse than the flu. Can't see the forest for the trees. It gives me a really big pinch.
I'm all out of sympathy for the "I thought it was fake but now it is happening to ME" folks. And I feel like there are going to be many, many more in the near future.18 -
Our Mayor in Chicago said if the young people don't start wearing masks and practice social distancing, we are going back to Phase 3 which means closing businesses, restaurants, salons and THE GYM!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!
I am in NY and we still don't have gyms open even though we are doing way better than most other states!
I work in healthcare and have to wear N95 for 12-15h a day. It does suck, but it is better than spreading the virus. I even developed a really bad face rash because of it the past few weeks. I do find it really hard to breath as I have asthma, but I am allowed to take it off during my breaks when I can go outside which helps.
I've seen a lot of people on bike paths running and biking with masks and don't know how they can do it but if they can while working out, I should be able to with light activity.11 -
Side note - really neat image to go with the post/saying!Diatonic12 wrote: »Today, a local buffet joint had to close down. The owner is in the hospital and spouse has it, too. They didn't believe in masks for the staff or anyone. Experience had to be their teacher. Now, they're out there telling everyone this is real y'all. We should've listened and this is 10x worse than the flu. Can't see the forest for the trees. It gives me a really big pinch.
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Neat info graphic from my husband’s work - shows the spider web of spread from one family gathering... not hypothetical, but real world data and information.
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janejellyroll wrote: »Diatonic12 wrote: »Today, a local buffet joint had to close down. The owner is in the hospital and spouse has it, too. They didn't believe in masks for the staff or anyone. Experience had to be their teacher. Now, they're out there telling everyone this is real y'all. We should've listened and this is 10x worse than the flu. Can't see the forest for the trees. It gives me a really big pinch.
I'm all out of sympathy for the "I thought it was fake but now it is happening to ME" folks. And I feel like there are going to be many, many more in the near future.
Yes, I feel some people need to learn for themselves. Unfortunately, it will be a hard painful way to learn.
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Went out for what has become almost weekly parking lot concert last night with one of our favorite cover bands. You park in a designated spot, with every other parking spot left open, then just get out in your lawn chairs and watch the band. The company that sets this up also sells Pizza and now they just started serving alcohol again out of a window. If you have to go to the restroom, they have one - so they can disinfect it in between uses -- and it's inside where you have to wear your mask at all times.
The band we like was a little rusty, you could tell, but still great fun. For the first half, an older couple (in their 80s) was dancing in front of us, her with a mask and a hand fan and him smiling the entire time. Was lovely to see people have fun and have a sense of normalcy. One creative couple (because it was still 92 as the sun dropped) brought a garden sprayer and filled it with ice water and was misting folks on the dance area. Most were all great about social distancing and many, even though it was outside, wore masks.
The only downer was kids were parked next to us and were a little close for comfort at times running around. And that saddened me, a bit, because they were actually well behaved kids overall for their ages. Just kids will have a hard time understanding social distancing. Next to impossible to get littler ones to understand that. And the parents were even very good at trying to explain to them not to get too close to others. We weren't that worried about it but it did make you think how times have changed, even as we had a very nice and mostly normal night. I love kids. Well, I love well behaved kids I should say. Makes you too aware of your surroundings. It's the first time I've been near kids since the lockdown. Shame that the perception has changed and it's influenced by "just don't get too close...".
We're both a bit sore after dancing on asphalt, but my wife still has the moves! We want to be that couple in their 80s, still dancing and enjoying life in their later years.16 -
@moonangel12
I wish we had that type of graphic news available here. Today reports of 48 new cases in a week and up to two weeks ago we had none most days for over a month. Its coming back!4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Diatonic12 wrote: »Today, a local buffet joint had to close down. The owner is in the hospital and spouse has it, too. They didn't believe in masks for the staff or anyone. Experience had to be their teacher. Now, they're out there telling everyone this is real y'all. We should've listened and this is 10x worse than the flu. Can't see the forest for the trees. It gives me a really big pinch.
I'm all out of sympathy for the "I thought it was fake but now it is happening to ME" folks. And I feel like there are going to be many, many more in the near future.
Agreed. I can feel bad for people who were responsible and still got sick. For anyone who refused to do the simple responsible things, for those who claim it is all a big hoax while refusing to wear a mask, and especially for those who hold stupid Covid parties; I feel like they deserved it. There has been enough information available for enough months that one has to intentionally ignore facts to think they shouldn't wear a mask.
And this is coming from someone, if you all recall from early Mar., that thought this wasn't going to be very bad. I was one of those who figured it would be another flu until new information changed my perspective. Some of that information was available to our nation's and world's leaders in Dec. and Jan., to be fair, and they should have made some early decisions to mitigate damage. Wish the rest of us had known those same things at that time.12 -
Our Mayor in Chicago said if the young people don't start wearing masks and practice social distancing, we are going back to Phase 3 which means closing businesses, restaurants, salons and THE GYM!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!
The gyms in CA closed - again - this past Monday. They were open for a little over a month but I never went back because I don't think that they are safe, not matter the precautions, modifications or changes done to the facility. I am too old to take chances.
I am doing some home-workouts; something that I dislike tremendously, but it is better than nothing. It is too hot in my neck of the woods to do anything outside.5 -
Just received our school reopening plan this morning for my to be 3rd and 5th graders. Distance learning starting August 12 and then back to the classroom after labor day on an every other week schedule. Last name A-L one week Tuesday through Friday and M-Z the next week Tuesday through Friday. Masks required. Mondays will be distance learning for all while the school gets a deep clean.7
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Upsetting, sad, hard to accept and believe. At this point I think that people really want to get sick, make other people sick, or kill themselves and the rest of the world. The lack of empathy and respect for human life and well being, and the tremendous amount of selfishness and stupidity are pathetic and insulting, and reaching catastrophic levels.
'Epicenter of the epicenter': Young people partying in Miami Beach despite COVID-19 threat
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/07/16/vacationers-party-florida-even-covid-19-cases-surge/5449754002/8 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Just received our school reopening plan this morning for my to be 3rd and 5th graders. Distance learning starting August 12 and then back to the classroom after labor day on an every other week schedule. Last name A-L one week Tuesday through Friday and M-Z the next week Tuesday through Friday. Masks required. Mondays will be distance learning for all while the school gets a deep clean.
Kansas gave their announcement as well. We are delaying the first day of school until after Labor Day (set to start August 13). Further information on how the in-person learning is yet to be announced, but I do know there will be a virtual option. Hoping our numbers will start to decrease soon, and if not that those who can keep their kids home do so as to not over populate the schools/classrooms any more than necessary.1 -
Upsetting, sad, hard to accept and believe. At this point I think that people really want to get sick, make other people sick, or kill themselves and the rest of the world. The lack of empathy and respect for human life and well being, and the tremendous amount of selfishness and stupidity are pathetic and insulting, and reaching catastrophic levels.
'Epicenter of the epicenter': Young people partying in Miami Beach despite COVID-19 threat
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/07/16/vacationers-party-florida-even-covid-19-cases-surge/5449754002/
It breaks my heart as well. So many people think it is some kind of conspiracy. I woke up this morning to hear my classmate just died of COVID. It is a real thing people!!
My son lives in CA and want my husband and I to come visit. I just dont want to risk it this year.
At my gym I am diligent with cleaning equipment b4 and after use. They have many cleaning stations and hand sanitizer. I go in the mornings where there are less people. I feel more safe there than I do at a restaurant.5 -
Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »Our Mayor in Chicago said if the young people don't start wearing masks and practice social distancing, we are going back to Phase 3 which means closing businesses, restaurants, salons and THE GYM!!!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!
I am in NY and we still don't have gyms open even though we are doing way better than most other states!
I work in healthcare and have to wear N95 for 12-15h a day. It does suck, but it is better than spreading the virus. I even developed a really bad face rash because of it the past few weeks. I do find it really hard to breath as I have asthma, but I am allowed to take it off during my breaks when I can go outside which helps.
I've seen a lot of people on bike paths running and biking with masks and don't know how they can do it but if they can while working out, I should be able to with light activity.
We, Illinois, followed NY example. We shutdown fast and started making progress. The cases are rising but not as fast as the Southern states. If everyone can get on the same page we might be able to fight it better3 -
In some ways we actually shut down before NY, but since it hasn't been as dire here (although it's been bad enough), I think some people still aren't taking it seriously enough -- particularly the young.
Here's a somewhat frustrating story about that, that echoes what I've seen: https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-life-young-adults-chicago-covid-uptick-reaction-tt-0715-20200716-vslgp4i2t5eudgt3hchthv6ute-story.html
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