BBC: China pneumonia outbreak: COVID-19 Global Pandemic

[Cooked Crack]

 

[China]

1 hour ago, Larry said:

 

Yep, masks are pricey.  

 

(Probably all made in China.)  

 

In case you care...  No, many are but not nearly all.  Companies like 3M and Kimberly Clark in the US make them:

 

-----

Top Respirator and Surgical Mask Suppliers

 

That being said, for medical professionals and markets in more at-risk areas like China, certain masks provide more protection than others.  

 

N95 surgical masks (named because they filter out 95% of small particles) are the safest protection against illness. These are specialized masks meant for trained industry professionals, not consumers. N95s seal the area around the face completely when properly fitted, but they make breathing more of an effort. They also require the use of annual training and fit tests to ensure that the professional is still using them safely. Untrained wearers may not be able to fit them properly to their faces, or can compromise the seal by adjusting it incorrectly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends N95 or P100 filters (which block 99.9% of .3 micron+ particles) for first responders potentially dealing with the disease.

Surgical masks, one of the most popular choices for consumers, are only mildly effective at stopping the spread of illness. Because of their loose fit to the face, matter can get around the edges of the mask and still enter the nose and mouth. Additionally, the filtering pores in the mask aren’t small enough to stop viruses. However, these masks do protect against spray, large droplets, and splashes, and they keep the wearer’s germs from spreading to other people. There is also one study by Raina MacIntyre, a professor of global biosecurity at the University of New South Wales, that shows they may have some effect. Her study showed that people who wore these masks in the same room as a sick family member reduced their risk of infection, but only if they wore them constantly while in the same room. Additionally, a separate trial by Dr. McIntyre showed that disposable masks carry lower risks for infection.

Cloth masks may actually cause harm since they can breed germs if they aren’t washed enough or retain moisture. They have not been proven to protect against illness at all.
Other masks such as painter’s or dust masks are also ineffective at protecting against illness, as they are designed to block larger particles than viruses from entering the nose and mouth.

 

It is worth noting that both masks and respirators have specific shelf lives depending on the conditions and climate in which they are stored, so it's important to ensure the masks are stored properly and in good condition. Since respirators come in different sizes, it's also important to ensure you have enough of them in each size, since respirators of the wrong size cannot create a proper seal and therefore will compromise their users. 

 

Suppliers of CDC Approved N95 Respirators

This table ranks the suppliers of n95 respirators approved by the Centers for Disease Control in 2018 by annual sales. Additionally, information is outlined on company headquarters, models approved by the CDC, and annual company sales in millions of U.S. dollars. Dashes indicate where information was unavailable.

 

Table 1: Suppliers of CDC Approved N95 Respirators
*Taken from the company website
 

Company

Private Labels of the Company

Company Headquarters

Product Models

Annual Sales

 

1

Honeywell

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Sperian Respiratory Protection USA, LLC

Santa Ana, CA

ActiProtect UF, HC-NB095, HC-NB095F, HC-NB295FP

250+*

 

2

3M

St. Paul, MN

1860, 1860s, 1870, 1805, 1805S, 1870+, 1804, 1804S

250+*

 

3

Kimberley-Clark Corporation

Irving, TX

46827, 46867, 46727, 46767

250+*

 

4

Foss Performance Materials

Foss Performance Materials, Nexera Medical Inc.

Hampton, NH

SpectraShield 9500, SpectraShield Protector N95

50-99.9

 

5

Prestige Ameritech

Richland Hills, TX

RP88020, USA-N95-S, RP88010, USA N95-R

50-99.9

 

6

Alpha Pro Tech

Westchester, PA

MAS 695

25-49.9

 

7

Louis M. Gerson Company, Inc.

Gerson, SteelPro

Middleboro, MA

1730, 2130, 2131

25-49.9

 

8

Makrite

Ammex, Cardinal Health, CVS, Dentec Safety, Dynarex Corporation, Emerald Medical, Emerald Professional Products, and First Aid Direct, Livingstone International, Magid Glove and Safety, Makrite, Medline Industries, Precept Medical Products, Protective Industrial Products, Pyramex Safety Products, Safety Zone LLC

New Taipei City, Taiwan*

N95F, N95CMA, USA-N950S, USAN95-R, 399575, AD4N95, AD2N95A, 2295, 2296A, 2295A, N9500, N9500A, 305050A, FMN95RN, 910-N95, 910-N95, 910-N95S, 910-N95FMX, 9500-N95, 9500-N95S, NON24506, NON24507, NON24506A, NON24507A, 65-3395, 65-3395S, 2703000, 270-2000A, RM10, RS-900-N95A

 

9

Moldex-Metric, Inc.

Culver City, CA

1511, 1512, 1513, 1517, 2210GN95-XS, 2210GN95-S, 2210GN95-M/L, 2210GN95-LP, 1510, 1712, 3211N95-S, 3212N95-ML, 3217N95-LP

 

10

Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacture Company, Ltd.

Shanghai, China*

DTC3M-1, DTC3B

 

11

Aero Pro Company

Chenghua City, Taiwan*

AP0018 N95, AP0028

 

12

Shanghai Gangkai Purifying Products Company Ltd.

Shanghai, China*

GIKO 1400

 

Honeywell, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, supplies non-disposable respirators, filters and cartridges while also providing molded, half, and flat fold disposable N95 masks with and without valves. Honeywell also offers protection products for chemicals, vapors and gas, welding, airborne particulates, and contamination.

 

Based out of St. Paul, MN, 3M manufactures surgical masks, including with attached face shields as well as N95 respirators. The company also offers other surgical supplies including scrub, drapes, tape, skin prep, closures, antimicrobial dressing, and post-operative dressing.

 

Kimberley-Clark Corporation’s offerings include procedural, surgical and N95 masks, as well as face veils, filter, pleated, and children’s masks.  The company is based in Irving, TX.

 

Headquartered in Hampton, NH, Foss Performance Materials’ SpectrasShield Products, through Nexera Medical, include N99 respirator masks and N95 protectors.

Prestige Ameritech, in Richland Hills, TX, offers surgical and N95 masks as well as face shields, glasses, and visors made in the USA. The company ships only within the United States.  

 

Alpha Pro Tech, in Westchester, PA, manufactures its products in the USA. It supplies N95 respirators, as well as masks with and without shields, veils, and other medical personal protective clothing.

 

In Middleboro, MA, Louis M. Gerson Company offers disposable N95 respirators as molded and cupped disposable masks. The company also offers respirators and filters for welding, painting, silica and concrete, mold remediation and vapor.

 

Makrite, based out of Taiwan, has the most private label options on the list. Its products include industrial masks including both disposable and reusable types. It also offers surgical masks, including those with N95 respirators.

 

Moldex-Metric’s offerings include N95 surgical masks in multiple sizes, including flat-folding versions, as well as hearing protection products. The company, whose masks are made in the USA, is based in Culver City, CA.

 

Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacture Company is headquartered in Shanghai, China. The company offers NIOSH regulation N95 and N99 masks as well as medical and other masks and goggles.

 

Aero Pro Company supplies molded and flat-folding disposable N95 surgical masks, folding N95 disposable respirators, and non N95 surgical masks in adult and children’s sizes. The company is based out of Changhua City, Taiwan.

 

Also based in Shanghai, Shanghai Gangkai Purifying Products Company supplies multiple-layer surgical masks for daily wear and N95 masks with activated carbon options.

 

 

[abdcskins]

What's the over/under on people that die in the United States as a result of the coronavirus? Maybe 50 tops? I feel like this is the most overblown health scare of the decade. 

 

Not to make light of human lives being lost, but still. No one wants to get sick, but from what I've read with the proper care it will pass like any other virus.

[Bacon]

First day in a week or so that percentage of new worldwide cases has climbed significantly from the previous day. We had been in a decelerating/plateauing pattern for a while. 

 

China is trying to get back to work and South Korea is further testing that one infected church, so it's not too surprising, but definitely not a good piece of news to wake up to. 

[Destino]

11 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

What's the over/under on people that die in the United States as a result of the coronavirus? Maybe 50 tops? I feel like this is the most overblown health scare of the decade. 

 

Not to make light of human lives being lost, but still. No one wants to get sick, but from what I've read with the proper care it will pass like any other virus.

It could be high if it gets into urban neighborhoods.  Close proximity, mass transit, and reluctance to use healthcare because so many are unable to afford a hospital visit make for a deadly combination when dealing with a new disease.  

 

The other concern is cost.  Americans already struggle to afford healthcare.  If great numbers are suddenly driven to wildly expensive hospital visits, premiums could rise leading to more Americans losing coverage or facing financial ruin.  

[SoCalSkins]

13 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

iWhat's the over/under on people that die in the United States as a result of the coronavirus? Maybe 50 tops? I feel like this is the most overblown health scare of the decade. 

 

Not to make light of human lives being lost, but still. No one wants to get sick, but from what I've read with the proper care it will pass like any other virus.

 

2 to 3% death rate. 330 million person population. Assuming half are exposed and it's on the low-end 2% death rate, that's 3.3 million deaths by the time the elections come in November.

 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by SoCalSkins

[Bacon]

14 minutes ago, abdcskins said:

What's the over/under on people that die in the United States as a result of the coronavirus? Maybe 50 tops? I feel like this is the most overblown health scare of the decade. 

 

Not to make light of human lives being lost, but still. No one wants to get sick, but from what I've read with the proper care it will pass like any other virus.

 

The problem is that many won't receive "proper care" in our garbage health care system because it's too expensive for the uninsured. Americans are used to just fighting through whatever they're dealing with because doctor visits are financially crippling. 

 

And it's truly staggering how few are being tested right now. Only a few states have kits. South Korea has tested tens of thousands of people already. The number of Americans infected listed by the CDC is likely waaaaay off and they're out spreading the virus as we speak. 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Bacon

[Bacon]

1 minute ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

2 to 3% death rate. 330 mullion person population. Assuming half are exposed and it's on the low-end 2% death rate, that's 3.3 million deaths by the time the elections come in November.

 

To put a positive spin on things, within the population of Diamond Princess travelers that have gotten sick (600+), the mortality rate is 0.3%, same as the regular flu. People who go on cruise ships tend to be older as well. 

 

I point this out because these people have actually received the help they needed and the results are very reassuring. Of course, the general population will NOT receive care of this quality. 

[abdcskins]

I can't quote all of you, but I agree the lack of a proper healthcare system is the biggest risk. Sad that people have to decide between risking their lives and saving money.

 

I didn't know the death rate was that high. From what I've read, the older you are the more at risk you are of dying. Also didn't know so few were being tested. If I get a fever and cough, you can be damn sure I'm headed to urgent care/ER. I was sick in December....maybe that was the coronavirus 🤔

 

People die from the influenza virus, but we don't talk about that. We will see...I'm not scared quite yet.

[SoCalSkins]

Just now, Bacon said:

 

To put a positive spin on things, within the population of Diamond Princess travelers that have gotten sick (600+), the mortality rate is 0.3%, same as the regular flu. People who go on cruise ships tend to be older as well. 

 

I point this out because these people have actually received the help they needed and the results are very reassuring. Of course, the general population will NOT receive care of this quality. 

A bunch of those are just now being confirmed. You don’t die the day you get it. Usually takes -10 days after symptoms set to end up in ICU. 

[Bacon]

11 minutes ago, SoCalSkins said:

A bunch of those are just now being confirmed. You don’t die the day you get it. Usually takes -10 days after symptoms set to end up in ICU. 

 

For the CFR to reach the international norm, we would have to see another 16 deaths with no new cases reported. I would consider that fairly unlikely. 

 

It's certainly a unique population that is worth observing. 

[TheGreatBuzz]

41 minutes ago, Destino said:

It could be high if it gets into urban neighborhoods.  Close proximity, mass transit, and reluctance to use healthcare because so many are unable to afford a hospital visit make for a deadly combination when dealing with a new disease.  

 

The other concern is cost.  Americans already struggle to afford healthcare.  If great numbers are suddenly driven to wildly expensive hospital visits, premiums could rise leading to more Americans losing coverage or facing financial ruin.  

My concern isn't the virus.  My concern is the secondary effects of the panic caused by it.

[TradeTheBeal!]

Word on the street has a CV test for uninsured coming in around $3500.

 

Seems less than ideal.

[Skintime]

9 minutes ago, TryTheBeal! said:

Word on the street has a CV test for uninsured coming in around $3500.

 

Seems less than ideal.

If the government wants to prevent mass deaths they will have to step in, though since most trumpers are old I wouldn't miss them and he wouldn't help them.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Skintime

[Larry]

1 hour ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

2 to 3% death rate. 330 million person population. Assuming half are exposed and it's on the low-end 2% death rate, that's 3.3 million deaths by the time the elections come in November.

 

 

 

You say that based on the 14 million (1% of 1.4B) dead in China, right?  

[Bacon]

12 minutes ago, Larry said:

 

You say that based on the 14 million (1% of 1.4B) dead in China, right?  

 

500 million infected

 

Crematoriums running 24/7

 

Bodies piling up in the streets

 

"They" will do anything to stop Trump! 

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

 

 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Mike Pence is a really great choice.

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

This is a **** show

Edited February 26, 2020 by Cooked Crack

[Destino]

Alex Azar is really laying the ass kissing on thick in this press briefing.  
 

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

[Bacon]

Well, it was nice knowing you guys. I'm a few hours away from confirmed, unquarantined COVID-19. 

 

Seriously though, the CFR outside of Wuhan is thought to be 0.7%. I'm mostly worried about what the stores and supply chains are going to look like in LA by next week. 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Bacon

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

 

Beards out, Hitler mustaches in.

[visionary]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump seems to be having some speech issues....  I can barely understand what he's saying.

Edited February 27, 2020 by visionary

[Renegade7]

CSPAN looks like only station still airing the press conference, I'm furious so many of the news stations either arent showing it at all or stopped while folks were talking for pundit comment.  The people doing this are saying what they are going to do, hold your opinions until they are ****ing done talking.