[drewprops]

I looked up the Canada story.

They weren't banned, apparently, there was an influx of Chinese masks of poor quality and they were prohibited from being used by the medical community.

See if that's correct.


...

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Maciej Less effective than plain surgical masks or cloth masks?

Not sure, they were pulled because people were purchasing them thinking they were up to the quality of the N95 medical mask. I think the KN95 fell closer to the type that you buy a hardware store for construction projects, just without the replaceable open filter.

Originally Posted by drewprops I looked up the Canada story. They weren't banned, apparently, there was an influx of Chinese masks of poor quality and they were prohibited from being used by the medical community.

KN95 is the Chinese version of N95, so yes they are Chinese masks by definition. Amazon was selling 20+ brands back in September. Now you cannot find even one. I believe South Korean companies produce KN95 masks as well, but they also got flushed out of the market. Whatever the case you cannot buy them anywhere here.

I found one company in Canada that is selling 3M medical grade N95 masks, bulk. $245 for 8 packs of 20 masks. A little much for the few times I venture into public buildings.

[drewprops]

Originally Posted by PB PM Amazon was selling 20+ brands back in September. Now you cannot find even one.

Ugh.

I logged in and found a ton. That's what I've been buying. So I suppose that we (Americans) are buying all those ineffective Chinese masks.

Crap.

There goes my security blanket?


...

[crazychester]

You could go the whole hog and get one of those rubber jobbies with the screw on cartridges like I use when spraying nasty chemicals about the place.

But you'll probably scare small children when you're out and about.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by drewprops Ugh. I logged in and found a ton. That's what I've been buying. So I suppose that we (Americans) are buying all those ineffective Chinese masks. Crap. There goes my security blanket? ...

Yeah the government made Amazon Canada scrutinize the third party sellers a little more, they all disappeared in short order. I don’t know if they are all bad, but they couldn’t have been great.

Originally Posted by crazychester You could go the whole hog and get one of those rubber jobbies with the screw on cartridges like I use when spraying nasty chemicals about the place. But you'll probably scare small children when you're out and about.

Those protect the wearer, but not others, and they are not as good as the medical version.

[crazychester]

Originally Posted by PB PM Those protect the wearer, but not others, and they are not as good as the medical version.

Yeah I know. Thought about editing that post but figured I didn't need to. Drew's posts just reminded me that I considered wearing one back when this shitshow started and I didn't know any better.

Think the jury is out if they even protect the wearer when used for all their prescribed purposes.....

[Matsu]

Originally Posted by crazychester Hey Anthony, wasn't sure if the email address I have for you is still current so I'll just leave this here.......you've probably already done this but book your booster asap. Ignore Atagi. GPs are the go. We cease to be a hermit kingdom tomorrow. Not quite sure why because contrary to what the media is saying it's pretty much universal dread down here in Tassie. Joe Rogan would be appalled by us! Glad your mom is on the improve drew and sorry to hear your elderly neighbour didn't make it Paul. Some of the eugenics type crap from the "let it rip" crowd towards the elderly I've read in the last 18 months has been so chilling I view every one of them who survives as an absolute triumph. And Matsu, man what can I say? So sorry for what happened to you and your missus. She sounds like one tough nut though. Your post really made me think about how, on top of all the health impacts, being that sick for that long would ripple through every aspect of your life. Hope the universe cuts you a break for a bit.

She's way tougher than I am. The universe has been kind enough to make her workplace and mine very understanding. We got a lot of support. Not everyone has during this time. Recovery is still slow. We've gone up the stairs a handful of times now, and we're still weaning O2, albeit from the lowest levels now. Doctor's are very happy though: they remind us that we're at best about half way through what is projected to be 18-24 months of recovery. More intense physio starts in the new year, we have a centre just minutes from home, and a three month window before I have to return to the office in person.

[drewprops]

Matsu I know this has turned your lives upside down and that everything you do is still predicated on care at this point.

I am reminded of caring for my dad in his last years and caring for mom last year when she fractured her pelvis.

The daily level of anxiety was tough, but you just absorb it as part of a new routine.

My thankfulness for mom's recovery from Covid has been profoundly increased by the reminder of what you have been through and continue to experience.

A friend's unvaccinated brother was perilously close to going on a vent a few days ago and I'm really afraid to check to see what's happening.

An acquaintance from the Star Wars community has shared his brother's terrible experience. The recovery is far more difficult than most of us realize.

I pray that the coming year brings strong gains in your wife's health and that you find peace along that path.


...

[crazychester]

Chester is now officially a communist again.

Fight me!

You can take your fucking live with covid/let it rip dogma and stick it right up your fucking arse.

Still no nation-wide mask mandate (minus Western Australia who along with the Kiwis are still pursuing the "no community transmission"/covid0/elimination holy grail).

And the loony tune who passes as our Crime Minister has the audacity to say "look at Western Australia, they're not wearing masks"?

Someone just kill me now.

Sandgropers and hobbits do NOT do what we have done.

[Mac+]

I’m with you Margie.

Was appalled by the rubbish I heard today. ScoMo is an absolute disgrace. He abdicates responsibility. His lack of governance is his m.o. for governance.

However, I’m in Qld and my m-i-l exclaimed how much she liked him. That shit scares me.

[PB PM]

I’m sure the well informed have heard this info, but hey so what? The general consensus among the leading scientists now is, guess what this big fifth wave, almost everyone will likely get it, period. Omicron just spreads that effectively. Health measures will only slow it, not stop it. So get your vaccines if you haven’t already. Typically mild in 2 dose vaccinated people, no guarantee that it will be for those who aren’t. Booster ideal for anyone whose 2 dose was over 6 months ago. People who had earlier variants are highly likely to be reinfected as well, natural immunity from the earlier beta/delta not very effective. Three days from infection to symptoms appearing.

[drewprops]

Your Aussie PM fits the stereotype of the politician who wants to have his dingo pudding and eat it too. We have plenty of vaccinated politicians who downplay and run interference against efforts to encourage more responsible behavior. Freedumb!!!!

The latest problem here in the good old USA is that only one of the three flavors of monoclonal antibodies is effective against Omicron, and that supply (by GlaxoSmithKline) is nearly exhausted and new stock is weeks away.

All of my unvaccinated friends who have been quietly counting on having some sort of safety net may be screwed.

And I still don't know what the danger of immediate reinfection is - can mom catch it again now? So soon after getting past the variant she just had?

...

[psmith2.0]

An insidious little fucker, ain’t it?

[709]

Got my booster scheduled for later today. If it's available I'll try to switch it up and go for the Moderna this time around, if not I'll stick with Pfizer.


This Walter Reed vaccine looks hopeful - early stages still.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by drewprops And I still don't know what the danger of immediate reinfection is - can mom catch it again now? So soon after getting past the variant she just had? ...

It is possible to be reinfected, they variants are different enough. It may provide some help, but it’s not a silver bullet.

[turtle]

Nothing like perpetual "duck and cover" from this thing.

[PB PM]

The virus is like anything else, it wants to live, not consciously of course, so it’s evolving to do so. The only good news is that the most effective way for the virus to survive is not killing the hosts, so eventually it should end up more like a cold or flu. How long will that take? Will there be any of us left? Will we come up with a silver bullet vaccine? Who knows.

[Frank777]

More on 709's breaking news that the US Army has properly joined the fight.

[drewprops]

I saw the Daily Mail article at first and was excited, then concerned because Daily Mail doesn't have a sterling reputation, but then excited again when I realized that there were lots of news outlets carrying this story.


...

[PB PM]

Sounds wonderful, then again as the old saying goes, if it sounds to good to be true, it likely is. Call me skeptical.

[Frank777]

Back in the old days (August or so), I mentioned pill treatments for Covid that might be here by the end of the year.

I was berated, asked for citation of my "mythological timing" and had my religious background mocked.

The first pill treatment has just been approved today.

[drewprops]

Originally Posted by Frank777 I was berated, asked for citation of my "mythological timing" and had my religious background mocked.

I'm sorry this happened to you Frank.

Bless our collective hearts, we all have room to improve.

((I'm still going to need citations from you all))


...

[Matsu]

I suffered a few months of insomnia from April to June. I read nearly everything there was to read about COVID, ECMO, ventilators, proning, antibody treatments, steroids and anti-inflammatories, and drug trials. Pfizer's drug trial started when my wife was still on an ECMO circuit. Trials were at least six months from completion at the time. They planned to run 3 consecutive (I believe it was 56-day) trials, with a certain amount of time between each to analyze data. The drug treatment was built on a foundation of HIV medication combined with something new targeted directly at the coronavirus spike protein that had proven quite effective at retarding virus replication in human issue, but an important factor would be working out dosing in a typical patient. It was very promising according to what little publication existed at the time. They are pretty much exactly on schedule here. The speed and efficacy of scientific problem solving here has been (perhaps) unparalleled outside of war-time efforts. It's a shame more people don't understand the basic methodology, and a greater shame that they then politicize it when they don't. Here's a clue for them. Science is not a "position". It is a method. Changes in position or recommendation reflect learning, they are not attempts to deceive, manipulate or coerce.

[drewprops]

Originally Posted by Matsu It's a shame more people don't understand the basic methodology, and a greater shame that they then politicize it when they don't. Here's a clue for them. Science is not a "position". It is a method. Changes in position or recommendation reflect learning, they are not attempts to deceive, manipulate or coerce.

:: 10 minute standing ovation ::


...

[BlueRabbit]

I bought some KN95 masks from here, which has been featured in enough media to be reasonably sure that the masks are legit. Honestly, even a fake KN95 is probably still better than a cloth or surgical mask simply because it will have a tighter seal around the edges.

I also have a few pre-pandemic N95s from work that I wear on airplanes, but for day-to-day the KN95s work well.

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by Frank777 Back in the old days (August or so), I mentioned pill treatments for Covid that might be here by the end of the year. I was berated, asked for citation of my "mythological timing" and had my religious background mocked. The first pill treatment has just been approved today.

What Pfizer announced is not what you were talking about then. This pill is treatment for people who have COVID, what you were talking, and got met with skepticism about, was the talk of a vaccine pill. This is not a vaccine, nor a vaccine replacement. Let's not worry about the details though.

[crazychester]

Originally Posted by Mac+ However, I’m in Qld and my m-i-l exclaimed how much she liked him. That shit scares me.

Sounds like you're in for a fun Xmas.

Originally Posted by drew Your Aussie PM fits the stereotype of the politician who wants to have his dingo pudding and eat it too.

We don't eat dingos silly. They eat us!

It's worse than that drew. He's Trump in a different skin suit and an Australian accent (he's even got the speech problems!) and we've got to hold an election by May at the latest. There's a lot of twitter on twatter that if shit hits the fan big time between now and then, he might try to "postpone" the election.

As far as both vaccines and treatments go, they've far exceeded what I'd secretly hoped for. Globally, it's the public health side where the response has been appallingly shabby. But not because of (most) public health experts and epidemiologists.

Plus "miracle" cures (as in highly effective treatments that pop up unexpectedly) do happen. I'm living proof of that with the cure for Hep c. The discovery of the link between helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer is another one I can think of off the top of my head. That one was a real doozy. Anyone for a nice warm cup of h. Pylori broth? Mmmmmmm.

But how BigPharma have gotten away with not handing over the IP to places like India and Bangladesh that are great at pumping out high quality pharmaceuticals, is simply scandalous. Gilead was merely shamed into doing it within a year of the hepc c cure stage 3 trials ending IIRC.

[709]

Originally Posted by 709 Got my booster scheduled for later today. If it's available I'll try to switch it up and go for the Moderna this time around, if not I'll stick with Pfizer.

Went with Pfizer after the pharmacy guy recommended I go with what's worked for me, so, consider me boosted.

The first 2 shots that I got through the govt/military setup in my city were quick and painless - I felt nothing and was good to go in a day or so. This one, though, I don't know. I scheduled it at one of the local grocery w/pharmacy chains and I swear lab coat dude got me with a meat thermometer. Step on a nail pain. Oof. I wore a t-shirt in 20 degree weather for you my guy.

[crazychester]

Breaking news.

The Hermit Kingdom of Western Australia has experienced an incursion by the delta virus delivered courtesy of an unvaccinated French backpacker.

Will the WA media leak the French backpacker's name causing an immediate shortage of pitchforks?

Is this Macron's revenge against Scovid for the AUKUS deal?

Will the nuclear level temperatures predicted for the next few days prove once and for all that even the rona can only take so much?

How did WA State Daddy aka Marky Mark keep a straight face when he had to read out that "The Bloody French Restaurant" was a venue of concern?

Has the covid pandemic shown us that Groucho Marx was not a comic genius after all but just a rank amateur?

Only time will tell.

Stay tuned.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by BlueRabbit I bought some KN95 masks from here, which has been featured in enough media to be reasonably sure that the masks are legit. Honestly, even a fake KN95 is probably still better than a cloth or surgical mask simply because it will have a tighter seal around the edges. I also have a few pre-pandemic N95s from work that I wear on airplanes, but for day-to-day the KN95s work well.

I've also been buying from Bonafide, though of course I'm not qualified to judge these masks.

Personally, I struggle to get a tight fit with their ear-loop KN95 masks. The headband style are less convenient but feel much more secure. IME, anyways. Maybe my ears are just weird.