Wuhan coronavirus

mw0uzo wrote:

Yeah I'd say a mask or anything improvised is way better than nothing. All the argument about fitting and particle sizes etc is just nitpicking. Most masks fit the face pretty well they squeeze on easily and provide a reasonable seal. And they will stop you breathing in any virus laden particles. Pretty simple if you ask me, there is so much argument about it elsewhere leading up to all this, it's just tiring.
If I was off to the shops with coughers and sneezers I'd much rather have a mask with a very slight amount of side leakage than none.
The dish towel looks pretty good for an improvised one.
I wonder how you could cut it and fit 2 elastic bands so it would work ok.

I have always struggled with dust masks fitting correctly (the DIY style ones). Must be the shape of my face. I have always had trouble getting a good seal. I also have a beard and tache which doesn't help. A while back I got a decent 3M respirator (6000 series), and I remember getting bloody expensive filters for it too, but I cant remember which number they are so unable to check right now. The 3M respirator fits nicely and provides a good seal. Not perfect mind with my beard, and I have to have it tight, but works well for gasses and vapours. I sometimes give PCBs a bath in IPA and can't smell a thing when wearing it. But alas, I don't think it is N95 grade as far as <0.3um particulates. Ill have to see if I can find the email receipt from when I bought it.

Anyway, my point is that not all masks fit every person well. It is very much a trial and error thing with regards to fitting.

Making your own.... A stapler would work for attaching elastic to fabric, or glue, or sew it, for elastic band stapler (use two staples.. staple it down, then loop back over the top and staple again and that should lock a rubber band in place).

I'm not sure the accuracy of the dish towel is good or even other fabrics. I'm not saying fabrics are bad, just the accuracy of that image I posted. We have some that are quite thin and can see light through them easily, and some others that are quite thick that is harder to see light through them. I guess any fabric would be ok, maybe double it up. I think if there is a little resistance in the air passing would be a good indicator that it is doing its job. And above all, anything is better than nothing.

Just done some numbers. Based on the theory that deaths double every 3 days, we will be just short of 9000 deaths in 15 days based on yesterdays numbers.
The number of confirmed cases will be 91,000 (provided they keep testing people)

It could be more but I doubt less as we haven't locked down yet and people are/were still socializing up to the end of the weekend. The reason is there will be many people incubating the virus right now and with an incubation period of up to 14 days. It should also been noted that those incubating the virus right now may share households with other people and there is a massive chance that if one member of a household contracts the virus, everyone in that household will also.

Will see what the numbers say later today.

Hundreds of families rush to McDonald's for final fast food fix ahead of national shutdown
https://www.lep.co.uk/business/hundreds-families-rush-mcdonalds-final-fast-food-fix-ahead-national-shutdown-2505757?fbclid=IwAR2wIQ0chwl6VVtll9DmxmnGKB781RgGAMSDXBzBTgSSglEBLBDfZZR89Jc

Its a sad state of affairs when people prioritize McDonalds over this outbreak. Idiocracy springs to mind...

Numbers are in. Number of confirmed cases up from yesterday, deaths up from yesterday, number of tests is 5605 (yesterday 5522). What happened to BoJo's increasing number of tests every day? We should be testing about 25,000 per day by now according to what he said. BS if you ask me.

As of 9am on 23 March 2020, a total of 83,945 people have been tested, of which 77,295 were confirmed negative and 6,650 were confirmed positive.
As of 1pm on 23 March 2020, 335 patients in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) have died.

I have added some new columns showing the percentage of the UK population. % of UK population that have been confirmed, % of UK population that have died and % of population that have been tested.
I have also tried to tidy it up a little and fixed the header so I can scroll up the numbers etc. It will always show the last x days. I tried colouring the columns but it seemed to distract from the numbers.

From 5 days ago:
UK coronavirus testing will increase to 25,000 a day, says Boris Johnson
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/18/uk-coronavirus-testing-will-increase-to-25000-a-day-says-boris-johnson

Bullshit! Telling the commons what they want to hear and doing absolutely nothing about it. Clown.....

A selection of today's blews so far:

All British travellers urged to return to the UK now
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-all-british-travellers-urged-to-return-to-the-uk-now-11962534

(UK) A&E doctor warns fit and healthy coronavirus patients in their THIRTIES are fighting for their lives and warns medics will eventually have to choose who gets the last ventilator
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8141835/A-E-doctor-reveals-people-THIRTIES-intensive-care-coronavirus-UK-hospitals.html

(UK) Coronavirus press conference delayed so PM can hold Cobra meeting as full lockdown looms
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1259170/coronavirus-uk-latest-boris-johnson-press-briefing-cancelled-covid19-update-cobra-meeting

'They're all MORONS risking their lives and everyone else's': Piers Morgan blasts Britons who snubbed social distancing advice to visit tourist spots and markets over the weekend despite UK coronavirus crisis
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8141685/Theyre-MORONS-risking-lives-elses-Piers-Morgan-blasts-Covidiots.html

(UK) McDonald's fans queue for 'one last Big Mac' as police are called in
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronavirus-mcdonalds-fans-queue-one-21739215

Excel Centre in London’s Docklands could be turned into giant field hospital in fight against coronavirus
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/excel-centre-london-field-hospital-coronavirus-a4394921.html

Britain's coronavirus plan 'does not go far enough' and could still mean 70,000 deaths, experts warn
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8142557/Britains-coronavirus-plan-mean-70-000-deaths-expert-warn.html