Six-foot rule to protect against coronavirus is questionable, MIT professor says (The Boston Globe)

[Kitty]

They are having their groceries delivered to reduce their contact with other people

Yep. Simply didn't occur to the politicians that by telling people to do this, they're forcing the most vulnerable – those who're chronically ill and elderly, but don't have a support network – to increase hugely their contact with other people, because they rely on public transport to get to the shops and can't carry a week's shopping at once. Some of the most senior politicians have almost no contact with the real world, so they don't comprehend that being shielded is a privilege, and it's not available to those at the bottom of the social heap.

because there are huge lineups to get into grocery stores

Interesting – it's fairly quiet in our city, I only saw queues outside the supermarkets for the first week. It mostly seems to be older folk who're out. The woman at the checkout told me she'd never seen so many mobility scooters in all the years she'd worked there, including one heroic old fella who turns up in a full-face crash helmet in lieu of a mask!

 

[ladycatlover]

I've been trying to psyche up enough energy over last 2 weeks to make a leather face mask that I can line with these filter cloths

Having seen your wonderful leather work I'm conjuring up the idea of seeing you in a Darth Vader mask!

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

Having seen your wonderful leather work I'm conjuring up the idea of seeing you in a Darth Vader mask!

Lol!!! I was considering going down a crazy route, but I'll be sensible... For now

 

[Mij]

We’re trying to build the plane while we’re flying it. We still don't have secure data regarding face masks.

 

[Hell..hath..no..fury...]

We’re trying to build the plane while we’re flying it. We still don't have secure data regarding face masks.

Not gonna lie, my main reasoning for making one is for fun and sanity maintainance rather than life saving

 

[Sly Saint]

On BBC South today last night; protective respirator hoods have been developed by Southampton university, using easily available vacuum cleaner parts
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000gywt/south-today-evening-news-01042020

 

[Invisible Woman]

Interesting – it's fairly quiet in our city, I only saw queues outside the supermarkets for the first week. It mostly seems to be older folk who're out. The woman at the checkout told me she'd never seen so many mobility scooters in all the years she'd worked there, including one heroic old fella who turns up in a full-face crash helmet in lieu of a mask!

There was a 20 minute queue to get into the supermarket when IM went shopping, but this was because they are strictly controlling the number of people who are in the shop so everyone can observe the 6 feet rule.

Once in the shop it was very quick and straightforward - apart from two people, oblivious to the queue outside and their fellow shoppers trying to maintain 6 foot distance and follow the one way system around the shop, arguing over which brand of something to buy.

 

[Perrier]

François Legault must be following Dr.Tam's recommendations? She is still not advising to wear masks. I think this 'idea' of not wearing masks has changed based on recent news coverage, and that now we should be wearing them.

I have been wearing a mask and glasses since March 13th. One chap in the grocery stored asked me on that day why I was wearing it! The problem here in Quebec is the short supply of masks and other necessities, so I suspect this is why they are focusing only on hand washing and physical distancing. Austria has mailed each citizen 2 masks, from I have been told (but I have no link for that). Monsieur Legault is doing a wonderful job and has shown real leadership.

 

[Perrier]

The only problem is - where do you get masks at this time? Any available masks should be going into healthcare facilities, long-term care homes, and people at high risk.

It is possible to make masks; there is superb thread on this site about mask making. I recently hastily made one with a long scarf, rubber bands and safety pins (neither of which are visible.) Check out the thread.

 

[Perrier]

San Diego newspaper article quoted a researcher of bacteria and viruses from a university's oceanography department warning that the wind at the beach (way too many surfers and bikes, people) can force the virus up your nasal passages from beyond a 6 foot distancing metric. .

Stay even farther away when it's windy.

Not medically related but: this reminds me of the old USSR days. I was there briefly and and meeting up with some folks in a huge park. One chap put his forefinger into his mouth to moisten it, then held up his hand to check which way the wind was blowing. Then he said, best we turn this way so that none of what we say is carried by the wind. Quelle vie!

 

[TigerLilea]

It is possible to make masks; there is superb thread on this site about mask making. I recently hastily made one with a long scarf, rubber bands and safety pins (neither of which are visible.) Check out the thread.

I sewed a few masks last weekend as I had a medical appointment I had to attend. It wasn't optional to miss, unfortunately. A few hours after finishing the masks, what did I find in the workshop? but two N95 masks that I use when sanding or shredding paper. They were cheap masks that I knew were there, but it didn't occur to me that they would be N95s.

 

[Perrier]

I sewed a few masks last weekend as I had a medical appointment I had to attend. It wasn't optional to miss, unfortunately. A few hours after finishing the masks, what did I find in the workshop? but two N95 masks that I use when sanding or shredding paper. They were cheap masks that I knew were there, but it didn't occur to me that they would be N95s.

I had the identical experience! Some water infiltrated into my Mother's basement last year (she lives next door) and I bought some masks fearing mould. Turns out they were N 95.

 

[rvallee]

François Legault must be following Dr.Tam's recommendations? She is still not advising to wear masks. I think this 'idea' of not wearing masks has changed based on recent news coverage, and that now we should be wearing them.

We are still in shortage until supply catches up. That's the only reason to advise against widespread use of masks but somehow authorities seem to think it's better to not say it directly. Typical medical chauvinism that people can't handle bad news but in a pandemic, be blunt and tell the whole truth is what needs to be done. It'd be better if they just came out and said it, but old habits die hard.

 

[Invisible Woman]

Typical medical chauvinism that people can't handle bad news but in a pandemic, be blunt and tell the whole truth is what needs to be done. It'd be better if they just came out and said it, but old habits die hard.

Too right. More blunt, plain speaking at the start might have saved lives.

Such as while being young or not having underlying conditions reduces your risk, there are no guarantees that you won't be one of the unlucky ones.

Plus - this is a very unpleasant way die.

Those two combined would have put a stop to a lot of the stupid, foolhardy behaviour of the younger members of the population who tend to think they're invulnerable and be less risk averse at the best of times.

 

[shak8]

I have been wearing a mask and glasses since March 13th. One chap in the grocery stored asked me on that day why I was wearing it! The problem here in Quebec is the short supply of masks and other necessities, so I suspect this is why they are focusing only on hand washing and physical distancing. Austria has mailed each citizen 2 masks, from I have been told (but I have no link for that). Monsieur Legault is doing a wonderful job and has shown real leadership.

I wore a mask when I opened the door to my place when I got my groceries delivered three weeks ago. I told the man (who was Asian) that "I have a cold" which I did. He said he appreciated it and wished more people would wear them. Possibly because it is routine in parts of Asia, especially Japan, to protect others from your cold virus.

I guess here in the US, it's been formerly seen as hypochondrical, or weak, sickly.

 

[Invisible Woman]

I guess here in the US, it's been formerly seen as hypochondrical, or weak, sickly.

I believe we should be adopting distancing behaviours when we have colds and flus anyway.

I've always thought not doing so was advertising genius on the part of big pharma - you know the ads & slogans about separating the men from the boys....when the going gets tough and all that. If their products can keep you feeling well enough to go out and about, they can keep you well enough to go infecting other people, who'll buy their product and carry on and infect still more etc.

 

[TrixieStix]

I see the problem as being the ridiculously mixed messages government is sending out.

The six foot for fifteen minutes rule seems to have been drawn up in terms of 'If you have been within six feet of someone infected for fifteen minutes you are so pretty darn sure to have caught it you must go not just into lockdown but formal personal quarantine.' I never thought of it as indicating that you were safe if you didn't quite make the fifteen minutes.

I would hope that people are not quite so stupid as to take it that way.

Well my local public health officials apparently are quite that stupid. Help us all!!

They just posted this for the community to read (this is exactly how it is written)....

"It is OK to be closer briefly (10 mins or less) to others such as cashier's, store clerks etc. Just remember to wash your hands when you get home."

 

[alex3619]

Great, so now 6 feet may not be enough.

It never was enough. Rules like this and handwashing are about decreasing risk, not eliminating it. Its been known for many years that a cough or a sneeze can travel a long way, and persist for a while. Decrease risk of transmission enough and fewer and fewer get infected. Fail to decrease risk and more and more get infected. Put enough things in place and things will slowly get better. If you want safe in a pandemic find your bunker and don't leave. We have more than two thousand years of figuring out pandemics, starting with Athens in 427bc or something. Isolation has been the main method for most of it, and after the germ theory of disease arose its included hygiene. Vaccination was added even later, and modern drugs are very recent in historical terms.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Yesterday I saw a woman spit on the ground (with strangers walking near her), in a highly trafficked public park. I guess you just can't help some people...

 

[alex3619]

Yesterday I saw a woman spit on the ground (with strangers walking near her), in a highly trafficked public park. I guess you just can't help some people...

Once upon a time this was a serious criminal offence, due to tuberculosis risk. Those times are coming back. You can now be fined for doing that in some parts of Australia, and maybe all of Australia.