Corona Virus Now Spreading

Jem

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I'll be going back to work at the end of this month. I am mandated to wear a mask by my regulatory body. My boss started working a few shifts to get a feel for how things will go. She said the masks are horrible to work in. She already has breakouts on her cheeks, she said it's difficult to breath (we have a physical job) and feels tired and gross having to breath in stale air all day. I'm not too excited to start.:(
 

JamesCalifornia

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Breaks my heart.
I went to the supermarket yesterday and the poor girl in the deli could barely breathe while working.
~ Some face coverings are more comfortable than others. Employees would likely be more comfortable if the P-100 vented respirator was used. Added benefit is it is medical grade and actually can stop a virus .
Maybe you can gift your friend one of these ?
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She already has breakouts on her cheeks, she said it's difficult to breath (we have a physical job) and feels tired and gross having to breath in stale air all day. I'm not too excited to start.:(
~ Masks are not designed to be used for long periods. They should be changed every few hours. Employers should be mandated to supply a new mask when needed .
 

denice

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I got a box of the three ply disposable ones and they are more comfortable then the cloth one that I was using. They are easier to breath with and stay cooler. I don't have to wear one all day though. I only use it when I go to the grocery store and when I got my hair cut. I only go in to the office one day a week and work from home the rest of the time. When I go in I am one of only three people in a large room and we are spread out. Even though it is indoors I don't feel there is a need to wear one. I take my Lysol wipes in and wipe everything in my area down. I also take my hand sanitizer in because it is impossible to wash my hands every time I touch a surface that might be contaminated so I use it several times through out the day. I take both back home and back in the next week so they don't disappear.
 

Willowy

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I was at Menards the other day, loading dog kennel panels into my trailer on a typical hot and humid summer day (so I was breathing hard), after wearing the mask for a few hours straight while shopping, and I was surprised by how not-awful it was. I was wearing one of the blue polypropylene masks, I also find them more comfortable than the cloth masks now that they're widely available (I saw a box of 50 on Amazon for $8!).

I think if you change it when it gets damp (you can set the other one aside to dry and reuse if you have a limited supply), that'll cut down on chafing and clogging.

This year has been a doozy, and it's only June!
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Jem

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~ Masks are not designed to be used for long periods. They should be changed every few hours. Employers should be mandated to supply a new mask when needed
We do have to change them after every client. But with our work in physical/massage therapy, we are in a closed room with someone for up to 90 minutes, and it's quite physical. So we only get a breath of fresh air for the few minutes we have when we change it for the next one. Because we are a multidisciplinary clinic, with the possibility of coming into contact with someone other than your own patient, the only place we don't have to wear a mask is in the staff room. The chaffing and rubbing on the skin happens with a clean or dirty mask so simply changing them doesn't help with the skin irritation when more than 80% of your shift is wearing a mask.
 

Talien

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We do have to change them after every client. But with our work in physical/massage therapy, we are in a closed room with someone for up to 90 minutes, and it's quite physical. So we only get a breath of fresh air for the few minutes we have when we change it for the next one. Because we are a multidisciplinary clinic, with the possibility of coming into contact with someone other than your own patient, the only place we don't have to wear a mask is in the staff room. The chaffing and rubbing on the skin happens with a clean or dirty mask so simply changing them doesn't help with the skin irritation when more than 80% of your shift is wearing a mask.
Try putting a dab of petroleum jelly on the parts of the mask that cause the skin irritation.
 

Tobermory

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I was wearing one of the blue polypropylene masks, I also find them more comfortable than the cloth masks now that they're widely available (I saw a box of 50 on Amazon for $8!).
Which ones are they W Willowy ? Can you post a link?
 

Jem

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Try putting a dab of petroleum jelly on the parts of the mask that cause the skin irritation.
That'll just cause pimples on my skin, but thanks for the suggestion.
I have reactive skin, but maybe I'll be lucky and they won't bother me like they do my boss.

Other things that have been reported within the nursing community is a huge increase of sinus infections. They are also reporting that the general public, who wear masks all the time are seeing an increase if sinus infections and lung/bronchi issues/infections.

The pimples, rashes, infections...is all very common with usage of masks, they call it "bacteria face", you're own oils and skin bacteria, mixing with the bacteria from you mouth, plus the moisture, friction and irritation, make a nasty cesspool, all floating around you face and airways.

Some are coming into the hospitals due to dizziness and lethargy among a few other symptoms, all related to sucking back your own carbon dioxide.

My friend had to stop one of her treatments because she felt like she was going to faint and was dizzy.

The masks may diminish the spread from this virus, but it causes other health complications as well.

We'll have to see how things go when I start back...
 

Talien

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That'll just cause pimples on my skin, but thanks for the suggestion.
I have reactive skin, but maybe I'll be lucky and they won't bother me like they do my boss.

Other things that have been reported within the nursing community is a huge increase of sinus infections. They are also reporting that the general public, who wear masks all the time are seeing an increase if sinus infections and lung/bronchi issues/infections.

The pimples, rashes, infections...is all very common with usage of masks, they call it "bacteria face", you're own oils and skin bacteria, mixing with the bacteria from you mouth, plus the moisture, friction and irritation, make a nasty cesspool, all floating around you face and airways.

Some are coming into the hospitals due to dizziness and lethargy among a few other symptoms, all related to sucking back your own carbon dioxide.

My friend had to stop one of her treatments because she felt like she was going to faint and was dizzy.

The masks may diminish the spread from this virus, but it causes other health complications as well.

We'll have to see how things go when I start back...
Yes, the "experts" are now saying that wearing masks can actually make things worse for healthy people. What did they really expect was going to happen when they suggested everyone wear them whenever they go out in public?
 

Willowy

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Which ones are they W Willowy ? Can you post a link?
The ones I have? I got them at Sam's Club, they were $25 for a box of 50. Not available online apparently. The ones on Amazon? I got a notice of price drop from my Facebook coupon group. . .let me see if they're still on sale. . .ahh, they're $18.99 now. Still less than 50 cents each though. 50 Pcs Disposable Face Mask, 3-Layer Mask Anti Dust Breathable Mouth Cover with Earloop - - Amazon.com
Other things that have been reported within the nursing community is a huge increase of sinus infections.
Didn't nurses always wear masks though? Is it because they had to reuse them when there was a shortage?
What did they really expect was going to happen when they suggested everyone wear them whenever they go out in public?
People in Japan and Korea do it all the time. I never heard of any problems, but then maybe they wouldn't tell a gaijin about it anyway ;).
 

Jem

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What did they really expect was going to happen when they suggested everyone wear them whenever they go out in public?
It's just too bad that there are so many people that can't just grasp social distancing and hand hygiene.
I'm not a "I refuse to wear a mask...I have my rights!!!" type person. But I don't wear one unless the store/establishment requires it. But I do wash my hands and I keep my distance. I respect the people around me and wait my turn if I need something where another shopper is getting their things. If someone is ridiculously taking their time, I politely ask if it's ok if I go around. I will also tell people they can go around me if I'm I being slow, and face away as they/I pass. I don't touch everything as I move about, and if I sneeze or cough (allergies), I do so properly. It's really not hard to be courteous.
I might be singing a different tune if I lived in a heavily infected area, and the risk of my spreading it was higher. But we haven't had a case in my city and surrounding districts since May 14th. Wearing a mask for a few hours a week, is not a big deal...but all day is not good for you.
Maybe by the end of the month, they will say we don't have to wear them anymore! That would be great!
 

Willowy

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Nah, if your area hasn't peaked yet, it's not just going to go away. In this county, cases have more than doubled in the last week (ok, we started with low double digits so it didn't take much, lol). But we wasted our lockdown a couple months ago and now nobody wants to do it again so I guess we're all just going to get it now.

Menards and Costco are still requiring masks for everybody, Walmart and most grocery stores are still requiring them for employees.
 

Talien

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It's just too bad that there are so many people that can't just grasp social distancing and hand hygiene.
I'm not a "I refuse to wear a mask...I have my rights!!!" type person. But I don't wear one unless the store/establishment requires it. But I do wash my hands and I keep my distance. I respect the people around me and wait my turn if I need something where another shopper is getting their things. If someone is ridiculously taking their time, I politely ask if it's ok if I go around. I will also tell people they can go around me if I'm I being slow, and face away as they/I pass. I don't touch everything as I move about, and if I sneeze or cough (allergies), I do so properly. It's really not hard to be courteous.
I might be singing a different tune if I lived in a heavily infected area, and the risk of my spreading it was higher. But we haven't had a case in my city and surrounding districts since May 14th. Wearing a mask for a few hours a week, is not a big deal...but all day is not good for you.
Maybe by the end of the month, they will say we don't have to wear them anymore! That would be great!
Yeah, there are too many "you can't tell me what to do" people out there who will do the exact opposite of anything someone in authority tells them to do. Some of them are pretty much one step away from being anarchists.
 

JamesCalifornia

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Yes, the "experts" are now saying that wearing masks can actually make things worse for healthy people. What did they really expect was going to happen when they suggested everyone wear them whenever they go out in public?
~ They don't know. We are all learning the hard way - trial and error. But the "experts" have to justify their existence so they must pretend. Try to keep a sense of humor and that alone may save us !

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Tobermory

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I have a friend who has been deaf since birth and never learned ASL. He communicates by reading lips so masks have made his life more challenging as he ventures out for essentials—something those who can hear don’t face. It’s inspiring to see the creativity of those understand and seek solutions.
 

Jem

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Nah, if your area hasn't peaked yet, it's not just going to go away.
Our province (according to "experts") has peaked, and is on the decline and I know this virus isn't "going away". Most of the northern parts of my province were not hit very hard, it's the bigger cities like Toronto and Ottawa that have the majority of cases...Mostly Toronto. And even Toronto's numbers have steadily decreased over the last couple of weeks.
I know it's coming back again...I have a feeling this will follow the same pattern as our normal cold and flu season. But if we can get a reprieve for a couple months, before it surges in the fall, it would be nice.
 

catlover73

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I'll be going back to work at the end of this month. I am mandated to wear a mask by my regulatory body. My boss started working a few shifts to get a feel for how things will go. She said the masks are horrible to work in. She already has breakouts on her cheeks, she said it's difficult to breath (we have a physical job) and feels tired and gross having to breath in stale air all day. I'm not too excited to start.:(
I work at a drug store and never stopped working. I have been wearing a mask 8 hours a day five days a week for a while now. There is definitely an adjustment period to getting used to working with a mask on. It does get easier to breathe in them over time. The adjustment period is different for each person. As far the breakouts I suggest Witch Hazel. Several of my co-workers have had luck using this to deal with breakouts. I would say the hardest thing for me is making sure I do not over heat. If your work space tends to be warm or humid see if you can get some fans to circulate the air. My job is physical at times but not all the time. I have access to walk-in cooler to cool off if I over heat. We have to do mandatory temperature checks every day. My boss makes sure he does mine right away before I start doing anything. Also keeping yourself hydrated is important. For anyone who has glasses you will have issues with them fogging up a lot in the beginning. You have to figure out where to sit the mask on your nose to get rid of this issue. If you get breaks or lunch go sit somewhere and take your mask off for a little bit.
 

Xraystyle

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People in Japan and Korea do it all the time. I never heard of any problems, but then maybe they wouldn't tell a gaijin about it anyway ;).
Now that summer has officially arrived in Korea and everyone is mandated to wear masks in public...let me tell you...it is a problem. People were mostly ok with it during the winter (kept their faces warm) but now? Noses are out everywhere. People take off their masks as soon as they sit down at a restaurant or cafe. The government has had to send out alert messages telling people to keep their masks on unless they are in the act of eating and not have loud conversations if they are gathering for meals (because we never closed restaurants). There are so many small outbreaks in Seoul right now due to church gatherings, indoor sports clubs, and workplaces because people seem to assume that no one they know has Covid.

But you do get used to it. I wear my mask about 13 hours a day, some days that includes a couple hours of teaching (standing, walking around, speaking loudly to 5 and 6 year olds). I only take it off when I'm eating or at home. I've definitely adjusted how I go about my day however--no more fast walking, so everywhere takes just a little bit longer to get to. I have had some break outs too. We have a bunch of different local producers and so some have caused them, some haven't (we don't get to choose which masks we're buying from the gov. mandated pharmacy supply). I stopped wearing make up, which helped. And I have cleansing wipes at my desk so I usually use one mid day. I echo the witch hazel or tea tree oil. I don't know if they have them easily available in the states, but if I get a zit I use a pimple patch which protects it from abrasion under the mask and helps it heal faster.

If I really need to, I'll find someplace out of the way and take the mask off for a minute to cool down that part of my face and get some deep breaths.
 

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I don't love wearing a mask, but then I only have to do it when I go out which is rare. My friends want to get together at a patio for drinks tomorrow night but...I just don't know. I'm still concerned about getting sick and I would never forgive myself if I got my parents sick. My uncle passed away from Covid a few weeks ago (he lived in CO and was in his early 60s but otherwise healthy), so it's gotten a bit real for me.

Our cases are going up here in town and in the county, and it's breached a nursing home in a small town about 15 minutes away. Hardly anyone wears masks and people are apparently just over social distancing. Lots are saying that the stay at home order was to prevent the hospitals from being overwhelmed and they're not here so we're fine - BUT we have a total of 3 ventilators at our hospital and 2 were taken last week before one of the individuals died. So not overwhelmed, but not in the clear either.

I'm still bothered by the commentary when someone dies - so many people saying "well he was old" "she was overweight" as if that makes it okay. I get that they are rationalizing that surely they won't get sick because they are young and healthy but still. I wonder how many people will still be so casual when they get sick or someone close to them does. It reminds me of a story I read of a man who was very anti-mask and anti-closures and was very into protesting and vocal on Facebook and then he got sick and died. And his wife said that if he'd only known how serious it really was he wouldn't have felt that way. As if no one told him?
 
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