How are you holding up?

Removing your mask involves bringing your hands up to your face. I guess it would be prudent have the mask remain in place until one either washes or sanitizes their hands. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Some of our masks can be cleaned the ,N95 ones . We have a portable steamer that was sitting in the closet and finally found a use for . We hang the mask on a hanger and steam the mask inside and out in the laundry room . Then let them air dry . The other masks we bought are disposable and they just get thrown out after use . My youngest is a nurse and said what we are doing is fine . The point is we believe in wearing a mask ( barrier) . Pat
 

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There is a fundamental problem with this article. The science all appears to be good except for the one problem.

That is: "Outbreaks" do not equal "All cases." The article is based on how large outbreaks (numerous people infected) have occurred in restaurants, choirs, etc.

And the advice for avoiding that is all good.

But one case that someone acquires from an unknown source is not an outbreak and doesn't make the list. It's true fewer cases are acquired in whatever way that is- but they are acquired. For example, our island has reported 144 confirmed cases and 10 deaths (probably outdated as they aren't currently publishing numbers but we'll use it for the purposes of this discussion.) Of those, roughly half (70) are from one long-term care facility and 9 of the 10 deaths were there.

The rest? Mostly scattered among the different communities. Down here, two towns have 6 cases, 1 8 cases. In the more populated area around the NAS, 42 cases. I do not know for sure that the cases up north are not being traced to some outbreak (3 store workers were known to have it) but the ones down here appear to be random.

So someone avoiding all of the stuff described in the article still got infected. How?

Apparently you can get it from other contacts even if that doesn't result in an outbreak. So wearing masks, washing hands, and avoiding contact are still the best things to do especially for those of us at higher risk.

The state is about to make a huge effort at contact-tracing all cases. Hopefully that will result in a lot better information about how it is passed and how it is not passed.
 
There's a new study to make us laugh about masks. It confirms that it's not the cough that kills everybody. Before you cough if you have it and you talk, tiny droplets get sprayed into the air around you. They can linger about for several minutes.

Good luck with that, eh?
Hi: MyronL... It all depends on whether you're the "Cougher" or the "Coffee"!!! :whistling: Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie;)
 

Thanks, Calicia! This article confirms everything science and common sense has caused me to believe about what we should be doing to protect ourselves and others. I trust that you're remaining safe with family!

We wear masks every time we have to go out . We had a couple of better 3 m N95 masks on hand for construction jobs at home . …. We wash our hands if we can at home . We are staying away from kids....and are doing what we can to be safe and who knows maybe not making others sick too. We miss our family but do talk . Really can’t wait for this to end . No matter what the professionals say we do what we feel is safe . Pat

Pat, your approach is much like ours - doing whatever we feel is safe. I'm 69, and though I'd planned to be living in Houston only during the winter months, COVID-19 has changed all of that; I'm still living with my daughter, who's 38. We've been taking the precautions you mentioned since the second week of March when, due to my autoimmune issues, she was given permission to work from home. A friend who works in the industry mailed each of us one N95 mask, which we use while grocery shopping twice monthly. I plan on heading to my sister's home in NC as soon as reasonably possible, as she and her husband are taking similar precautions, and my daughter will soon be more "out there" among friends. We're taking it day-by-day, but I expect to be heading north by early June.

We live in downtown Houston and 50% or less are wearing a mask in enclosed spaces. We went out of town and stopped at a huge truck stop and less then 10% of the people had mask. Not sure what others motivations are but we wear a mask inside enclosed spaces. We use hand sanitizer after getting in the car and wash our hands when we arrive home. Most important we don’t touch our face, nose, mouth and eyes when we are out even with a mask.

Glens, you're right to take precautions, and as Texas continues to open up, I expect to see COVID-19 cases and deaths rise. :( I hate leaving my daughter here alone, but as time goes on, she's going to be going out more often, so I'll be increasingly at risk (due to autoimmune issues). Be safe!

...………………………..
The bottom line is that the curve flattened when we isolated, but flattening the curve did not eliminate the illness and deaths still to come. The numbers of cases and subsequent deaths may be fewer overall because of collective isolation, but we will not eliminate death. Indeed, death comes to folks my age and older in many forms, COVID-19 being merely the one we're focused upon at this particular moment. This point came home to me again this morning when I learned about the death of a friend four years older than I. Fast-moving cancer produced extremely painful symptoms which took him just two months after the initial diagnosis. Faith, family, and friends saw him through to the end, and I hope to follow his courageous example. I'll take whatever reasonable precautions needed and encourage those I love to do the same, living their lives to the fullest without unreasonable fear.

Best to all! :flowers:
 
Glens, you're right to take precautions, and as Texas continues to open up, I expect to see COVID-19 cases and deaths rise. :( I hate leaving my daughter here alone, but as time goes on, she's going to be going out more often, so I'll be increasingly at risk (due to autoimmune issues). Be safe!

From the Washington Post:

"Two churches in Georgia and Texas, states that have been at the forefront of reopening, have now closed their doors again. Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Ringgold, Ga., resumed in-person services and later decided to suspend them after several families became infected despite the church’s social-distancing and cleaning precautions. Houston-based Holy Ghost Parish has canceled services indefinitely after one of its priests died and five other members tested positive for the virus."

If only they had prayed harder??:nonono:
 
Thanks, Calicia! This article confirms everything science and common sense has caused me to believe about what we should be doing to protect ourselves and others. I trust that you're remaining safe with family!



Pat, your approach is much like ours - doing whatever we feel is safe. I'm 69, and though I'd planned to be living in Houston only during the winter months, COVID-19 has changed all of that; I'm still living with my daughter, who's 38. We've been taking the precautions you mentioned since the second week of March when, due to my autoimmune issues, she was given permission to work from home. A friend who works in the industry mailed each of us one N95 mask, which we use while grocery shopping twice monthly. I plan on heading to my sister's home in NC as soon as reasonably possible, as she and her husband are taking similar precautions, and my daughter will soon be more "out there" among friends. We're taking it day-by-day, but I expect to be heading north by early June.



Glens, you're right to take precautions, and as Texas continues to open up, I expect to see COVID-19 cases and deaths rise. :( I hate leaving my daughter here alone, but as time goes on, she's going to be going out more often, so I'll be increasingly at risk (due to autoimmune issues). Be safe!

...………………………..
The bottom line is that the curve flattened when we isolated, but flattening the curve did not eliminate the illness and deaths still to come. The numbers of cases and subsequent deaths may be fewer overall because of collective isolation, but we will not eliminate death. Indeed, death comes to folks my age and older in many forms, COVID-19 being merely the one we're focused upon at this particular moment. This point came home to me again this morning when I learned about the death of a friend four years older than I. Fast-moving cancer produced extremely painful symptoms which took him just two months after the initial diagnosis. Faith, family, and friends saw him through to the end, and I hope to follow his courageous example. I'll take whatever reasonable precautions needed and encourage those I love to do the same, living their lives to the fullest without unreasonable fear.

Best to all! :flowers:
Ava Thankyou for your thoughts and understanding on what we are dealing with .So sorry for the loss of your friend . The older we get unfortunately we experience a lot of losses . We really don’t take much for granted anymore including our own health . Still more life to live and places to go . Take care of yourself and maybe we will see each other on the road . Pat
 
We wear masks every time we have to go out . We had a couple of better 3 m N95 masks on hand for construction jobs at home . Kids got us a few more . We bought some masks from Wyze . We do not wear our going out shoes in our home and change them out in the garage . If we have to go shopping change our clothes and they go into washer . We have gloves also and Lysol . We wash our hands if we can at home . We are staying away from kids . They have come to bring us things and stay on other side of gate . We are both 73 and are doing what we can to be safe and who knows maybe not making others sick too. We miss our family but do talk . Really can’t wait for this to end . No matter what the professionals say we do what we feel is safe . Pat

We, too wear a mask every time we go out and now have learned to stash a bunch of clean ones by the front door - a necessary reminder since I forgot and had to dash back home for one, twice! :nonono:

When this all started, I used to take off my mask every time I got back in my car, but now I just leave it on until I get back home. Why? Fogging! When I first put on a mask, no matter the type or style, (store bought & homemade) I find my glasses start to fog up making it annoying to see. So now I just put it on once....and patiently wait for the fogging to go away and keep it on the whole time until I'm going back home. Then it comes off and goes straight into the laundry. So if you see me driving with a mask, it's because I've already 'de-fogged' once and simply want to see!! :) -Bea
 
We, too wear a mask every time we go out and now have learned to stash a bunch of clean ones by the front door - a necessary reminder since I forgot and had to dash back home for one, twice! :nonono:

When this all started, I used to take off my mask every time I got back in my car, but now I just leave it on until I get back home. Why? Fogging! When I first put on a mask, no matter the type or style, (store bought & homemade) I find my glasses start to fog up making it annoying to see. So now I just put it on once....and patiently wait for the fogging to go away and keep it on the whole time until I'm going back home. Then it comes off and goes straight into the laundry. So if you see me driving with a mask, it's because I've already 'de-fogged' once and simply want to see!! :) -Bea

Yup sometimes you fog up ! We also just in case have a mask a piece in the car , gloves , Lysol too. Pat
 
Appropriate analogy: "The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now".

HarleyD
 
From the Washington Post:

"Two churches in Georgia and Texas, states that have been at the forefront of reopening, have now closed their doors again. Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Ringgold, Ga., resumed in-person services and later decided to suspend them after several families became infected despite the church’s social-distancing and cleaning precautions. Houston-based Holy Ghost Parish has canceled services indefinitely after one of its priests died and five other members tested positive for the virus."

If only they had prayed harder??:nonono:

Though many of our friends continue to meet in small groups, some of them twice each week, my daughter and I stopped attending in favor of online services with another congregation. (Because of my autoimmune deficiencies, we simply couldn't/can't afford the exposure.) We've heard of no infections among members of our church and pray that none arise, but we will continue to isolate until we feel that it's safe to do otherwise - praying all the while. :)
 
Appropriate analogy: "The curve is flattening so we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, so we can take it off now". HarleyD

Sadly so! That said, the uncertainty and pain that many now suffer is one that none of my own family members must face. My heart goes out to those living by a shoestring, not knowing when they're going to run out of the money needed to feed their children and pay the utilities or rent. We tend to politicize this issue, but all along the political spectrum, folks simply want to be safe. For many, it's more like this: "The curve is flattening, so we can start lifting restrictions now" = "The parachute has slowed our rate of descent, but if we don't soon find a way to land, my family will die of starvation." Perspective is all.
 
Has it occurred to anyone of the tradeoff? Are you aware people are dying because of the shutdown? Mental health(just one of many issues)has always been one of those things we all support on the surface yet how many turn away to family and friends that suffer this even in good times?

From my own personal experience it is most. As the Assistant HHS Secretary - the first Psychiatrist to hold this position- said today: "How many more deaths are we willing accept in the name of containing this virus?"- Elinor McCance-Katz MD, Phd
 
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