Am also disturbed to learn (as a single example) that doctors in Texas - including surgeons - are being forced to reuse masks for at least a week, "sterilized" in-between by makeshiftly wiping them over with hand sanitizer!! (Nurses have were not given any masks at in that hospital). Docs lobbied for their equal protection, but the hospital decided it would be too expensive!!

No wonder affected personnel are up in arms as illustrated in this NYTimes article.

The Risks Run By Medical Professionals

Considering they are returning to their families (and risk of infecting them) after their shifts .

As an aside, there's also the injustice suffered by other at-risk (but underpaid) workers forced to work without adequate protection or even information about their risk. (Prime example, cleaning staff in office buildings.)

A friend works in the NICU at a major children’s hospital here. She is deeply concerned about the lack of PPE. I’m making her fabric masks to wear over the N95 masks. Because they can’t change the N95s as often as they should, she will wear the washable masks over top and change those out often. It helps the N95 mask to last longer.

There is a Facebrook group here where them members are all sewing up masks. There is a donation box on the corner where you can drop off things like fabric and elastic.

I think people can better cope when they can feel like they are helping.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:

I think people can better cope when they can feel like they are helping.

Absolutely true, Steve. And it's a major help in reassuring children in a crisis - for them to see their parents engaged in helping activities.

One of the most horrible shortages is ventilators.
Most patients with an aggravatd case need them - and most of those who use them survive.

(This is one of the worst aspects of this illness to me, as I've always had a horror of suffocation!.)

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Miller:

I think people can better cope when they can feel like they are helping.

Totally. I waited until my nurse friend mentioned making them for herself (she doesn’t sew but was trying) because I genuinely want to help by doing what is needed and not just do something that I think might help, if that makes sense. But it definitely was good for my own mental health to be able to actively do something to help today.