kdnyhan

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@ben Responsibly shut down as promised? Ok, if we have achieved a threshold of community transmission under which an opt-in exposure notification system is somehow irresponsible, is there also a threshold that will trigger its reopening?
I mean, I would be thrilled if there is no winter wave, and if there is no new variant with even worse outcomes or an even worse attack rate - but would you put money on it?

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@yaneerbaryam @whn
Bravo!
Maybe next they will change the "layer our clean and effective mask on top of your dirty and ineffective respirator" policy

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@yaneerbaryam @whn
Of course, MGH has form on this:
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/04/cdc-mask-guidance-hospitals-00022834

If I were an MGH spokesperson, I would also decline to comment 👀

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@newstik @yaneerbaryam @whn
If the extra layer deforms the respirator so that the seal is broken, now there's a path for air to flow in and out around (instead of through) the filter material.

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@newstik @yaneerbaryam @whn
But there are respirators with fluid resistance, so better to source those instead of DIY

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@newstik @yaneerbaryam @whn
(By "seal" I mean the tight fit against your face)
The only situation I can imagine where a surgical on top of a respirator would help is IF you need both fluid resistance and respiratory protection, and you only have N95s that aren't rated for fluid resistance. In that case maybe the tradeoff is worth it?

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@newstik @yaneerbaryam @whn
Perhaps - no doubt depending on the size of the top layer surgical mask too.

But we don't currently have a shortage requiring extended respirator re-use, and there are fluid-resistant respirators for the use cases where that feature is needed, so I'd rather wear my disposable respirator in accordance with the conditions of approval (ie, nothing on top)

You might find this interesting (though old) https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/06/16/covering-n95s/

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@Tarheel @luckytran

"Attendees said many people at the gathering did not mask, socially distance or take other precautions that the CDC had recommended earlier in the pandemic."

--> we tried nothing and it didn't work 👀

kdnyhan, 1 year ago

@Tarheel @luckytran

Does the "rapid epidemiological assessment" include asking the participants and conference staff to test? Bc the quoted email says to test if you are experiencing symptoms.

Actually, if CDC is living in an alternate universe where all transmission is from symptomatic people, that would explain a lot 🤣