How are you guys handling the Coronavirus chaos?

In this case I think masks can work very well, but the surgeon is trained. All healthcare workers actually take mandatory classes on how to properly use and handle their masks. And then they have to practice day in, day out. And if you've been in a hospital you soon realize that even fully trained professionals aren't always very good at it. There's a reason why ~250,000 people/year die from entirely preventable hospital mistakes, and one of the big ones is hygiene. When done properly mask wearing is very helpful. When done improperly it can actually make things worse than having no mask at all. Most of the "unwashed masses" appear to be doing it improperly--even those who have good intentions!

I don't have good mask hygiene. Just call me "Pigpen".

The purpose of a mask is to filter stuff out. If it's doing its job, it will have virus particles on the outside. Then you handle it and you get those particles on your hands. And then you get them on your face when you take your mask on and off. And whatever you wiped from the grocery cart onto your hands ends up on your mask when you adjust it or have to scratch your nose. Then you wear those germs around on your face for a nice long time so you can breathe it in for extended periods in a nice moist environment where germs particularly thrive.

I've been a fidgeter and nail biter for 42 years. Heck, I still pick at my underwear. I should've been a baseball player!

No, but I can deny that the scientific studies are based in reality. They're based completely on ideal situations and make the erroneous assumption that everyone is masking correctly when in real life, nothing could be further from the truth. You know how many masks I see wrapped around grocery cart handles on the way to the store?? People take them out, grab a cart with their mask still in their hand, then put it on just before they walk into the store. I have yet to see one scientific study that accounts for practical mask handling rather than the purely theoretical ideal we're supposed to aspire to. They need to start taking into account actual human behavior rather than some ideal that doesn't exist in the real world.

 

Ok. So lets do this. Here in SA we have 30 000 deaths and a couple hundred active cases and over a million recoveries.
The new approach here is..... wait for it ..... dont stay indoors without proper ventilation. Do not use air conditioners.... open windows and doors.
Try spend 1 third of your day outside... but not in public.
In public wear your masks and sanitize and social distance. Do not go into over crowded areas like clubs, pubs, restuarants and shops.... unless you REALLY have to.

So now is my question. I live ver isolated on a rescue. I have 3 families here that work for the rescue. We have our groceries delivered. I had the virus 2 times. My husband is a fatality. And yet non of those other families got it. We have a clinic visit us 1 a week for safety....

 

So super interesting thing I saw on the news. So most people will wear a mask even for a few minutes, take it off when they are out of the store or whatever, lay that mask down in their car and put back on at the next stop. BUT what we are not seeing is we are filling all those microscopic holes with our germs, then dander, dust, all that fun stuff floating around in our car is getting on that mask. When we go to the next store what is happening? We are actually pushing all that crap out. If that person is positive they are pushing that crap out out and the mask thing is basically doing Jack. I don’t know a single surgeon that puts on and removes their mask. So just because someone is wearing a mask doesn’t mean they are protecting you. I really wish people understood this and we would put more importance on the 6’ distance. I’m not saying do away with the masks but don’t Count on the fact that just because everyone has a mask on you are safe.
On the vaccine front keith was going to get his vaccine. One of his co workers tested positive so he took that as a sign. He signed up to be on the list, a friend of mine got the first dose and she said she was good. The day before she was due for her second dose her co-worker flat lined and is now in the ICU. She went ahead and got the second dose and 12 hours later she was sick as a dog. Fever and racing heart. By morning she just felt like she stayed up all night. 3 days later she feels fine. Her other co-worker decided to bypass the two vaccines that are out and wait for a third one that is not out yet but is supposed to have less side effects and doesn’t change the cells in your body. She looked into it and sent keith all the info so he took his name off the list and is waiting for the Johnson and Johnson one. I personally am saying nope to them all for now and probably for a long long time lol

 

@Tanya I'm so sorry to hear about your husband!
It is interesting that you mention fresh air as part of the measures SA is taking. I read about the Spanish flu pandemic that happened during WWI, and apparently, fresh air was something that was widely used to control the spread and to speed recovery. Open air clinics were set up for convalescents.
To my knowledge, no-one in the US is trying this (except me...I HAVE to be outside a lot of the time), but since I believe I read a study that indicates the Covid-19 virus can not survive well in an open air environment, especially sunshine, it seems like a common sense approach to me.

 

@Caileigh Jane Smith the first time we got sick, we stayed closed up and them my h7sband got worse. The second time I got sick I refused to stay inside. I went outside sat in the sun. Spent time with my rescues and tool the medicine given me. I got better quicker and I did not make any one else sick.

 

I'm glad you were able to get better so quickly! That vitamin D from the sun shine does all kinds of good things! I always feel happier when I'm outside. So I figured that probably helps me feel better when I'm sick, too. I will go outside unless I'm so sick I can't leave my bed.

 

Im guilty as well

Here, shopping cars are luckily being sanitized

THIS! Yes! I believe mask work very well along with social distancing. but with a proper mask, you shouldn't be able to blow out a candle an inch from your face. Shouldn't even phase the flame.

I always have horrible reactions to shots. My tetanus shot last year was my worst ever. I got a 105 fever and was throwing up everything i ate. Lasted about 28 hours, and i suddenly snapped out of it and was fine. Its crazy how your body can react.
After this years flu shot, I felt light headed. Very mild reaction for me. gone in about 12 hours. My arm was also sore for 2 ish days, which happens to me every time i get shots. I think I'm realizing my body isn't as strong as i think hahah
i am going to have to find the stats, but from the 1 million people who have gotten at least 1 dose of the vaccine, 21 have had severe reactions, and most were reversed by either Benadryl or an epi-pen.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/heal...vaccine-reported-overall-remain-rare-n1253007

My sister, who just graduated nursing school in December will be starting her first hospital job in February i think. She is going into ER. She should be getting the vaccine soon. I will update yall on how it goes for her

 

A point about surgeons' masks, they are not the same ones that are sold to the public. We are getting junk from China- read the boxes, etc. Or fabric ones that look like fruit of the loom underpants cast offs...... I used to buy all the safety stuff for our company that worked in chemical plants. Those N95 masks and respirators were the real thing. KN95 are not the same...

 

Yup, the numbers are an absolute joke lol.