CDC suggests nurses use bandanas, scarves during face mask shortage
As the national shortage of face masks becomes severe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nurses can use bandanas and scarves as makeshift masks when caring for COVID-19 patients — although it’s unclear whether they would protect medical workers.
The CDC says that option should be used “as a last resort” and only when the hospital nearly depletes its supply and experiences a crush of COVID-19 patients, reaching “crisis capacity.” The CDC acknowledges that its recommendations are out of step with standards of care in the United States.
Nurses and other health care providers can “use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19,” the CDC website now reads . The agency says in the next sentence that the homemade masks’ capability to protect health care providers against the coronavirus-caused disease “is unknown.”
Tags
Who is online
268 visitors
The change comes just one week after the CDC downgraded its guidance around the use of N95 masks, also referred to as “respirators,” that can filter out viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. The agency began recommending that nurses use surgical masks, which don’t provide a barrier to airborne viruses but do shield against droplets.
But surgical masks also have started to be depleted from hospital shelves. The updated CDC guidance last week recommending that nurses wear surgical masks dramatically drained supply, according to Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, an association of thousands of nursing homes and other health care facilities.
“The CDC guidance came out telling people not to use N95 masks. That helps with the supply of N95s, but it puts a greater burden on the supply of surgical masks,” Parkinson said in a call with reporters Wednesday.
FUBAR
So, why aren't the respirators being disinfected and reused?
Come on, folks, this isn't business as usual.
They do reuse them.
Trump says "millions" of masks are being made as we speak. Too bad no one ever knows whether he is telling the truth or not. That in itself is reason to vote him out of office.
Still can't get a single mask mydamnself, which means I can't leave the house while on immunosuppressive chemotherapy. Although I fully support the medical community having first dibs, I'm bored out of of my mind. Or what's left of it.
I have a sister with MS that would like to be able to get one too. They need to make these available to the public as well as medical professionals.
Be careful Sister.
Stay safe Sister!
I'm ok, Larry. I really am. When I start eating chocolate frosting straight from the can, which is my nutz-o-rama barometer... that will be the time to worry. me.
how about a cyber hug?
(((((Sister Mary Agnes))))
I know that won't keep you away from the frosting but now I got you thinking about cyber cooties.
I'll take it!
cyber cooties.
Ha!
just trying to lighten your mood
Wait... This is wrong? Well F*&^ ME!!!! I thought that was just a normal way to end the day.
Me too!
Hang in there and be safe !
Thanks, Pat. I'm just bored and looking for mischief. Any ideas?
Well - ya gotta phone - call someone and ask if their refrigerator is running. If they say yeah, tell'm they better go catch it.
That'll keep ya busy for 'bout an hour or so.
Hang on, I'll try it now.
*edit* I just prank-texted a completely random number. I received a reply that said, "No, but I have Prince Albert in a can." True story.
Pop the top - I'll smoke it.
a bad idea in the era of caller ID, somebody told me so...
I don't suppose you have any pets, do you? You could always dress them up and take photos then humiliate the beasties on NT by posting them here
Your wish is my command.
And make no mistake, that is her 'I'm going to kick your ass' look.
Awww...she's sweet! Give her a doggo snack and she may be in a better mood
Stay away from everyone Sister Mary. My sister is in the same boat since she takes an immunosuppressant.
Yeah. that would do it. I was going to post a pic, and grossed myself out.
Keep an eye on the hardware stores. We got one from the paint supply area days after this looked like it was going to turn. They are currently sold out (at least they were 4 days ago), but their stock is being replenished. Since they are not considered as "medical supplies" but work just as well with a 95 rating, they may last a little longer on the shelves.
They are back-ordered. However, the department manager guy offered to let me borrow his son's Darth Vader bike helmet.
People will then steer clear of you!
This is the GOP Kid Rock solution.
"The CDC says that option should be used “as a last resort” and only when the hospital nearly depletes its supply and experiences a crush of COVID-19 patients, reaching “crisis capacity.”
What the Heck. Not a bad idea at all. "Something" ..... can be better than …… "Nothing", especially when there are "Selfish Hoarders" in this world !
[deleted]
Why ?
Veiled death wishing....................................
go stock up on a sense of humor...
I can only imagine the number of emotional PN's to the RA that comment spawned. oops
I could make some nice masks with my sewing machine, I wonder if the CDC has any recommendations on what type of cloth would work best. If you make a bunch you could change masks every so often and then wash them all at the end of each day. Another idea they have some sweet Spiderman masks on Amazon for under 10 bucks that look a lot better than a bandana and have eye protection, they even have the black Spiderman. Just cut up some old T shirts to use as replaceable filters and slip them under the mask.
try linen
I have to wonder if the surviorists who are known for stockpiling are laughing their asses off at all of this panic buying.