9 ms·
Why are all the masks single use? Why can't we make reusable masks that can be disinfected by UV light? Structurally those masks are pretty solid. I can easily
by GreaterFool 7y ago
Why are all the masks single use? Why can't we make reusable masks that can be disinfected by UV light?
Structurally those masks are pretty solid. I can easily wear a single surgical masks for quite some time.
But would need some way to disinfect it!
EDIT: if everyone wore masks, like in Japan (where I live), then it would limit the spread. If you're in early stages of the infection and you have no idea, but you war a mask then you're less likely to infect other people.
AFAICT Japan isn't doing anything radical to stop the spread and yet the virus is not spreading much. At best Japan asks infected people to stay at home. No lock downs or quarantines. Bars, cafes, gyms and theaters are all open. Life goes on.
What's the magic? Almost universal use of masks is the only reason I can think of because I haven't seen any other measures in the society.
Yes, they closed schools but they usually close schools to some degree due to influenza.
- krtkush 7y ago> AFAICT Japan isn't doing anything radical to stop the spread and yet the virus is not spreading much. At best Japan asks infected people to stay at home. No lock downs or quarantines. Bars, cafes, gyms and theaters are all open. Life goes on. Reports are that they are not testing enough. We can't tell who is doing it the right way. We'll only know few months down the line.
- hcknwscommenter 7y agoThe data comes in a couple of weeks down the line, not months. If you are not testing enough (they are), then your death rate is exponential 14 days lagged. Japan is clearly doing a good job.
- gvjddbnvdrbv 7y ago28 days lagged. 5-14 day incubation period. 5-7 day low symptom period. 5-14 days to death.
- hcknwscommenter 7y agoVery good point. I think it's closer to 21 days lagged, because the vast majority (95th percentile) have a 6 day incubation period and a shorter low symptom to death period, but regardless it is clearly not months.
- aquadrop 7y agoIf they don't test enough they still would have a lot of deaths then, they have very old population. Don't think it's as simple as "they don't test enough". South Korea afaik also didn't do full blown lockdown and yet they managed to lower the speed of spreading. There are several clear anomalies that don't get much attention for some reason. Like these "no lockdown" wins in Japan and South Korea. Also, why is Germany's death rate is so much lower? They have oldest median age of population in Europe. Do they use some different medication, is it something they eat or what?
- fiblye 7y agoIt’s also very possible that the government isn’t looking into the cause of death and just sweeping it under the rug. Nearly every mention of the virus’s spread here is followed about “now what’s the effect on the olympics? What will we do without the olympics?” Ever since the last Olympics, they’ve been the main political and economic discussion topic of the whole country. TV has been talking nonstop about how this is the time Japan will finally be a world leader again, the economy is going to rise once more, English standards will be raised so all the kids can “LET’S! English with the people of the foreign country!”, every TV ad is somehow connected to the Olympics and Japan’s bright future and basically everything will be better. I can’t even pump gas without Olympics ads being played through the pump. Imagine Abe having to announce on TV that nearly half a decade of national identity is meaningless, down the drain, over, done for, and they’re out of a shitload of cash with nothing to show.
- chrisco255 7y agoWhy can't they just delay the Olympics one year?
- fiblye 7y agoThat’s not Japan’s decision to make. The Olympics®︎ tells the country they’re screwed, thanks for the cash, apply for the next 2020+4n Olympics.
- aquadrop 7y ago
- cultofmetatron 7y agoa large subset of the Japanese population have been practicing social distancing for some time now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
- ivanhoe 7y agoFrom what I've read, soft masks like surgical ones are OK for a few hours, then they gradually get wet by sucking moisture and saliva from our breath and stop being effective.
- 101404 7y agoI lived in East Asia for many years, and never understand why people here in Europe don't wear masks. Not even now. Really weird.
- TeMPOraL 7y ago> Not even now. Simple: there isn't enough of them around for everyone to wear. There never was.
- stubish 7y agoMost masks in Asia are simple cloth. You can make them yourself. Not as good as a N95, but they cut down smog and infection risk and are affordable. Even just a scarf helps if you insist on being fashion conscious. Yet nobody wears them, because we have a shortage of ones good enough to be worn in infection wards.
- 101404 7y agoThat's another thing: I am pretty shocked that our government doesn't have emergency reserves not even for these kind of simple items.
- fma 7y agoWe do, but it's not enough. National Strategic Stockpile has seomthing like tens of millions of masks. I believe need over 1 billion. It wasn't replenished after H1N1. Hard to convince politicians to buy things we may or may not use.
- easytiger 7y ago> Why are all the masks single use? Why can't we make reusable masks that can be disinfected by UV light? Virus outbreak agreed clinical practices
- stubish 7y ago> Why are all the masks single use? Why can't we make reusable masks that can be disinfected by UV light? There has been no incentive for reusable masks. By not reusing the mask, there is zero chance of it transmitting infection to other patients. The policy makes sense if you are rich and not having a shortage. Hopefully the hospitals have been smart enough to not incinerate the used masks, because even recycled ones are better than a handkerchief.
- fma 7y agoWhen a mask gets saturated from moisture of your breath, it loses its effectiveness. That's why they are rated for 4 hours. UV light can breakdown material.
- ardy42 7y ago> Why are all the masks single use? Why can't we make reusable masks that can be disinfected by UV light? Probably because, in normal cases, it's easier to manage contamination with disposable items than items that need to be disinfected. If you can't disinfect, there's no ambiguity about whether the disinfection was thorough enough. I think they may be able to be disinfected by UV light: Evaluation of Five Decontamination Methods for Filtering Facepiece Respirators (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781738/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781738/) > UVGI, ethylene oxide (EtO), and VHP were found to be the most promising decontamination methods; however, concerns remain about the throughput capabilities for EtO and VHP. Further research is needed before any specific decontamination methods can be recommended. This is also worth noting: > It was also found that decontamination using an autoclave, 160°C dry heat, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and soap and water (20-min soak) caused significant degradation to filtration efficiency.