"An estimated 6,500 are sick or have been exposed while working near someone who tested positive, and 20 food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died of the virus, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said on April 28, Tuesday.
The order uses the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure to try to prevent a shortage of chicken, pork, and other meat on supermarket shelves. Unions fired back, saying the White House was jeopardizing lives and prioritizing cold cuts over workers’ health.
More than 20 meatpacking plants have closed temporarily under pressure from local authorities and their own workers because of the virus, including two of the nation’s largest, one in Iowa and one in South Dakota. Others have slowed production as workers have fallen ill or stayed home to avoid getting sick.
Such closures threaten the continued functioning of the national meat and poultry supply chain, undermining critical infrastructure during the national emergency,” the order states."
Refer to:
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/trump-issues-executive-order-for-meat-processing-plants-to-remain-open-amid-pandemic-2020-04-28
-----------------------------------
Note:
Do you know who owns the Smithfield Foods Company behind the screen?
Why did the Defense Production Act classify meat processing as critical infrastructure, but let the 80% of the frontline health caregivers, personnel, staff running the risk of their lives to take care of the patients and themselves with desperately needed medical materials and personal protective gears?
----------------------------------------
April 28 (T), 2020
VP Pence triggered a storm of controversy on Tuesday, April 28 by failing to wear a face mask on a visit to the Mayo Clinic’s facilities in Minnesota.
"Pence leads the US government’s coronavirus taskforce though he is typically overshadowed by his president, or medical experts, at the group’s regular press briefings.
Video from a journalist pool camera at the Mayo Clinic showed Pence visiting the facility and 10 people in the area around Pence, including a patient, wearing masks. Pence was not wearing one.
On its website, the Mayo Clinic advises: “Mayo Clinic is requiring all patients, visitors, and staff to wear a face-covering or mask to slow the spread of Covid-19.”
In response to widespread online condemnation of Pence’s decision not to wear a mask, the Mayo Clinic tweeted that it had informed Pence of its mask policy before his arrival. The tweet was later deleted.
The Democratic senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii criticized Pence for not wearing a mask, saying the vice-president was “setting a dangerous example” by not covering his face." More details, please refer to: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/28/mike-pence-face-mask-mayo-clinic-visit-coronavirus
----------------------------------------
Some research data show the effects of Masks vs. No-Masks
Refer to:
https://www.maskssavelives.org/?fbclid=IwAR2EWVFPLugSKDgu8w-aXQ34Dj-glOu-Co6YlBjdyYRSOAPnClvER6AMr1s
-------------------------------------
"How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/face-masks-coveted-commodity-coronavirus-pandemic
In the previous posts, I shared my observations regarding upon being informed the novel coronavirus' existence (in January), most of the countries along the west rim of the Pacific Ocean, the very first action was to make the facial masks available. Masks! Masks! Masks, not toilet papers.
I recorded a couple of episodes of my awkward and uneasy sentiment with N95 masks (my sister mailed me from Tawain) in my bags while dared not to wear one when in public. It was not a way of showing in public with a mask on in this midwest area during March. Later, we realized, mainly, toilet papers were abundant, while facial masks, never appeared anywhere.
During early March, there were controversies regarding the effectiveness of the facial masks which also masked the problems of the unavailability or shortage of the facial masks desperately needed by the frontline health caregivers and staff.
Later, in April, people switched gears toward different questions, such as "How much protection do the facial masks offer?" The Mayo Clinic provides some information:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449
"Can face masks help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Yes, face masks combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of the disease.
So why weren't face masks recommended at the start of the pandemic? At that time, experts didn't yet know the extent to which people with COVID-19 could spread the virus before symptoms appeared. Nor was it known that some people have COVID-19 but don't have any symptoms. Both groups can unknowingly spread the virus to others.
These discoveries led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to do an about-face on face masks. The CDC updated its guidance to recommend widespread use of simple cloth face coverings to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 by people who have the virus but don't know it.
Some public health groups argue that masks should be reserved for health care providers and point to the critical shortage of surgical masks and N95 masks. The CDC acknowledged this concern when it recommended cloth masks for the public and not the surgical and N95 masks needed by health care providers.
How do the different types of masks work?
Surgical masks
Also called a medical mask, a surgical mask is a loose-fitting disposable mask that protects the wearer's nose and mouth from contact with droplets, splashes and sprays that may contain germs. A surgical mask also filters out large particles in the air. Surgical masks may protect others by reducing exposure to the saliva and respiratory secretions of the mask wearer.
At this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any type of surgical mask specifically for protection against the COVID-19 virus, but these masks may provide some protection when N95 masks are not available.
N95 masks
Actually a type of respirator, an N95 mask offers more protection than a surgical mask does because it can filter out both large and small particles. The name indicates that the mask is designed to block 95% of very small particles. Like surgical masks, N95 masks are intended to be disposable. However, researchers are testing ways to disinfect N95 masks so they can be reused.
Cloth masks
While surgical and N95 masks are in short supply, cloth masks are more accessible and reusable. Although cloth masks and N95 masks have different purposes, both are intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. A cloth mask is worn to help protect others in case the wearer has the virus. An N95 mask helps protect the wearer from getting the virus from others.
Countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic seem to have had some success slowing the disease's spread. Common sense also suggests that some protection is better than none. But wearing a cloth face mask will lose any value unless it's combined with frequent hand-washing and social distancing.
Cloth masks are cheap and simple to make. Instructions are easy to find online. Masks can be made from common materials, such as sheets made of tightly woven cotton. The CDC website even includes directions for no-sew masks made from bandannas and T-shirts. Cloth masks should include multiple layers of fabric.
How to wear a cloth face mask
Cloth face masks should be worn in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as in grocery stores, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
Here are a few pointers for putting on and taking off a cloth mask:
Place your mask over your mouth and nose.
Tie it behind your head or use ear loops and make sure it's snug.
Don't touch your mask while wearing it.
If you accidentally touch your mask, wash or sanitize your hands.
Remove the mask by untying it or lifting off the ear loops without touching the front of the mask or your face.
Wash your hands immediately after removing your mask.
Regularly wash your mask with soap and water in the washing machine. It's fine to launder it with other clothes.
Finally, here are a few face mask precautions:
Don't put masks on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or otherwise unable to remove the mask without help.
Don't put masks on children under 2 years of age.
Don't use face masks as a substitute for social distancing."
-------------------------------
In regions where N95 masks are insufficiently supplied, there are recommendations and instructions for extending the usage or reusing the masks. Here is one of them:
https://www.sages.org/n-95-re-use-instructions/
-----------------------------------
Note:
Do you know who owns the Smithfield Foods Company behind the screen?
Why did the Defense Production Act classify meat processing as critical infrastructure, but let the 80% of the frontline health caregivers, personnel, staff running the risk of their lives to take care of the patients and themselves with desperately needed medical materials and personal protective gears?
----------------------------------------
April 28 (T), 2020
VP Pence triggered a storm of controversy on Tuesday, April 28 by failing to wear a face mask on a visit to the Mayo Clinic’s facilities in Minnesota.
"Pence leads the US government’s coronavirus taskforce though he is typically overshadowed by his president, or medical experts, at the group’s regular press briefings.
Video from a journalist pool camera at the Mayo Clinic showed Pence visiting the facility and 10 people in the area around Pence, including a patient, wearing masks. Pence was not wearing one.
On its website, the Mayo Clinic advises: “Mayo Clinic is requiring all patients, visitors, and staff to wear a face-covering or mask to slow the spread of Covid-19.”
In response to widespread online condemnation of Pence’s decision not to wear a mask, the Mayo Clinic tweeted that it had informed Pence of its mask policy before his arrival. The tweet was later deleted.
The Democratic senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii criticized Pence for not wearing a mask, saying the vice-president was “setting a dangerous example” by not covering his face." More details, please refer to: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/28/mike-pence-face-mask-mayo-clinic-visit-coronavirus
----------------------------------------
Some research data show the effects of Masks vs. No-Masks
Refer to:
https://www.maskssavelives.org/?fbclid=IwAR2EWVFPLugSKDgu8w-aXQ34Dj-glOu-Co6YlBjdyYRSOAPnClvER6AMr1s
-------------------------------------
"How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/28/face-masks-coveted-commodity-coronavirus-pandemic
In the previous posts, I shared my observations regarding upon being informed the novel coronavirus' existence (in January), most of the countries along the west rim of the Pacific Ocean, the very first action was to make the facial masks available. Masks! Masks! Masks, not toilet papers.
I recorded a couple of episodes of my awkward and uneasy sentiment with N95 masks (my sister mailed me from Tawain) in my bags while dared not to wear one when in public. It was not a way of showing in public with a mask on in this midwest area during March. Later, we realized, mainly, toilet papers were abundant, while facial masks, never appeared anywhere.
During early March, there were controversies regarding the effectiveness of the facial masks which also masked the problems of the unavailability or shortage of the facial masks desperately needed by the frontline health caregivers and staff.
Later, in April, people switched gears toward different questions, such as "How much protection do the facial masks offer?" The Mayo Clinic provides some information:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449
"Can face masks help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)? Yes, face masks combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and social distancing, help slow the spread of the disease.
So why weren't face masks recommended at the start of the pandemic? At that time, experts didn't yet know the extent to which people with COVID-19 could spread the virus before symptoms appeared. Nor was it known that some people have COVID-19 but don't have any symptoms. Both groups can unknowingly spread the virus to others.
These discoveries led the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to do an about-face on face masks. The CDC updated its guidance to recommend widespread use of simple cloth face coverings to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 by people who have the virus but don't know it.
Some public health groups argue that masks should be reserved for health care providers and point to the critical shortage of surgical masks and N95 masks. The CDC acknowledged this concern when it recommended cloth masks for the public and not the surgical and N95 masks needed by health care providers.
How do the different types of masks work?
Surgical masks
Also called a medical mask, a surgical mask is a loose-fitting disposable mask that protects the wearer's nose and mouth from contact with droplets, splashes and sprays that may contain germs. A surgical mask also filters out large particles in the air. Surgical masks may protect others by reducing exposure to the saliva and respiratory secretions of the mask wearer.
At this time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any type of surgical mask specifically for protection against the COVID-19 virus, but these masks may provide some protection when N95 masks are not available.
N95 masks
Actually a type of respirator, an N95 mask offers more protection than a surgical mask does because it can filter out both large and small particles. The name indicates that the mask is designed to block 95% of very small particles. Like surgical masks, N95 masks are intended to be disposable. However, researchers are testing ways to disinfect N95 masks so they can be reused.
Cloth masks
While surgical and N95 masks are in short supply, cloth masks are more accessible and reusable. Although cloth masks and N95 masks have different purposes, both are intended to slow the spread of COVID-19. A cloth mask is worn to help protect others in case the wearer has the virus. An N95 mask helps protect the wearer from getting the virus from others.
Countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic seem to have had some success slowing the disease's spread. Common sense also suggests that some protection is better than none. But wearing a cloth face mask will lose any value unless it's combined with frequent hand-washing and social distancing.
Cloth masks are cheap and simple to make. Instructions are easy to find online. Masks can be made from common materials, such as sheets made of tightly woven cotton. The CDC website even includes directions for no-sew masks made from bandannas and T-shirts. Cloth masks should include multiple layers of fabric.
How to wear a cloth face mask
Cloth face masks should be worn in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, such as in grocery stores, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
Here are a few pointers for putting on and taking off a cloth mask:
Place your mask over your mouth and nose.
Tie it behind your head or use ear loops and make sure it's snug.
Don't touch your mask while wearing it.
If you accidentally touch your mask, wash or sanitize your hands.
Remove the mask by untying it or lifting off the ear loops without touching the front of the mask or your face.
Wash your hands immediately after removing your mask.
Regularly wash your mask with soap and water in the washing machine. It's fine to launder it with other clothes.
Finally, here are a few face mask precautions:
Don't put masks on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or otherwise unable to remove the mask without help.
Don't put masks on children under 2 years of age.
Don't use face masks as a substitute for social distancing."
-------------------------------
In regions where N95 masks are insufficiently supplied, there are recommendations and instructions for extending the usage or reusing the masks. Here is one of them:
https://www.sages.org/n-95-re-use-instructions/
