[whencut86]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Ceat Tyres launches GoSafe S95 face mask

Ceat Tyres has forayed into the personal protective equipment (PPE) business with its GoSafe S95 face mask.

The GoSafe S95 face mask uses a 6-layer filter. The GoSafe S95 face mask is priced at Rs. 249 and is available on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Seniority and other e-commerce websites. The mask is also available at Ceat Shoppes.

I guess Wildcraft, Swiss Military and Ceat get this from the same manufacturer. Same 6 layer masks certified as W95 or S95 based on the brand. The other brands have masks in sizes S/M/L and these are also available on various online portals. They all look similar and only the brand tag differs.

[Tassem]

What's with the misleading s95, w95 etc?

I find it in poor taste that customers will be looking for N95 during these difficult times and get fooled by these monikers. If indeed it meets or exceeds the N95 standard, then why the need to invent new names?

Here's what's mentioned in the Wildcraft website on their W95+ masks (from: https://wildcraft.com/ppg/masks)

1) 95%+ Bacteria filtration efficiency (BFE) for over 3µm (micron) sized bacteria.
2) 95%+ Particle filtration efficiency (PFE) for over 0.3µm (micron) size particles.
3) Fluid splash resistant test on Hydrostatic head test for up to 160 mmHg – Protects against accidental fluid / sneeze droplets from reaching user’s nose and mouth.
4) Carefully designed for all weather conditions keeping breathability {Differential pressure test (Delta P) with < 35Pa/cm²} and comfort in mind.


Here's what Ceat says about their mask: From Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/CEAT-S95-Reusa...ct_top?ie=UTF8

1. Care Instructions: Washable
2. Fit Type: Adjustable Fit
3. Premium Air mesh and non-woven layers for extra protection from Microbes
4. Superiror bacterial and particle filtration : BFE >= 95%; PFE >= 95%;
5. Splash and Droplet Resistant (Tested upto 160mmHg)
6. Adjustable metal nose pin makes it breathable and comfortable to wear for long hours
7. Washable upto 30 times

And here's how an N95 rated mask should perform (From: https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-...009/10/14/n95/)

1. A sodium chloride (for N-series filters) or a dioctyl phthalate oil (for R- and P-series filters) test aerosol with a mass median aerodynamic diameter particle of about 0.3 µm, which is in the MPPS-range for most filters
2. Airflow rate of 85 L/min, which represents a moderately-high work rate
3. Conditioning at 85% relative humidity and 38°C for 24 hours prior to testing
4. An initial breathing resistance (resistance to airflow) not exceeding 35 mm water column* height pressure and initial exhalation resistance not exceeding 25 mm water column height pressure
5. A charge-neutralized aerosol
6. Aerosol loading conducted to a minimum of 200 mg, which represents a very high workplace exposure
7. The filter efficiency cannot fall below the certification class level at any time during the NIOSH certification tests

N95 masks can be cleaned and resused. Key word being cleaned, not washed. See here: https://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/20...ning-n95-masks

Here's a paper on N95 mask tests: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9487666/

An excerpt from the above:

N95 respirators made by different companies were found to have different filtration efficiencies for the most penetrating particle size (0.1 to 0.3 micron), but all were at least 95% efficient at that size for NaCl particles. Above the most penetrating particle size the filtration efficiency increases with size; it reaches approximately 99.5% or higher at about 0.75 micron.

Tests with bacteria of size and shape similar to Mycobacterium tuberculosis also showed filtration efficiencies of 99.5% or higher. Experimental data were used to calculate the aerosol mass concentrations inside the respirator when worn in representative work environments.

The penetrated mass fractions, in the absence of face leakage, ranged from 0.02% for large particle distributions to 1.8% for submicrometer-size welding fumes. Thus, N95 respirators provide excellent protection against airborne particles when there is a good face seal.

--

I understand a mask is better than no mask. But intentional misleading by using 95 against an alphabet of your choice is something that should be curbed. Isn't it also interesting that there is absolutely no mention of Covid 19 anywhere? Mandate from the legal dept to avoid possible lawsuits? They mention germs, smoke, bacteria, toxins etc. but no virus?

I do hope I'm mistaken here. If somebody has more information on these masks and their effectiveness, please do share.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by PGA

https://www.news18.com/amp/news/indi...s-2700529.html

Just read this story, I felt very sorry for the young doc but cannot make much sense as to why it happened. Is it that this desease is just beyond the capacity of certain individuals and doesn't even give them a fighting chance or it's a case of gross miscalculation. Would request Doc Vivek to shed some light on this.

Hello. I did learn about this incident a few days back and it is indeed shocking. And if he has tested negative twice for Covid, then let us assume it is not covid. We have had patients who tested negative the first time but on our high suspicion, the test was re-run after one or two days and then it would turn "positive". So, I think this Dentist died due to some other bacterial pneumonia or something sudden like myocardial infarction. I would take it as a non-covid death unless a repeat sample post his death turns out to be positive. It is very saddening though.

[Latheesh]

This guy modified his autorikshaw to safeguard passengers from Covid infection.

Automatic hand sanitizer
Automatic disinfectant spray
Fiber partition

Video is in Malayalam but not difficult to follow

https://youtu.be/Df0YA5CE954

[volkman10]

Toyota suspends work at Bidadi plant for a day after worker succumbs to COVID-19.

The employee had last attended work at the factory on June 23 and hence as of now there has been no clear evidence of internal transmission within the company from this case or the previously reported eight COVID-19 positive cases at the plant,

The automaker as a precautionary measure has suspended its production for the day and has carried out the required process of disinfecting the workplace

The company will resume operations at the plant on July 7 post confirming the safety of the workplace and adhering to all the mandatory protocols.

Link

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

This guy modified his autorikshaw to safeguard passengers from Covid infection.
Automatic hand sanitizer
Automatic disinfectant spray
Fiber partition...

Wow! Very thorough. Impressive automation, worthy of an independent TBHP thread. I think the fiber partition is the most important thing. Maybe he should have fiberglass doors too with air exhausts mixing with the engine exhaust to kill the virus before releasing it to the atmosphere. Though in hot Kerala weather doors would be really uncomfortable, funneling the air from the driver's cabin to the engine exhaust should be sufficient.

[DCEite]

On the topic of alternative treatments for COVID-19, came across this piece of news from Tamil Nadu.
Patients are being treated with traditional "Siddha" medications and the results have been very positive.

Note: Notice the heading of the second video. I watched the video completely but i could not infer how the treatment was putting "lives at risk", rather, the outcomes described were very positive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC3sgPyDLbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jn2M9T-fU8

[Gansan]

^^ I have posted about this earlier. The patients have a choice to opt for it, but only if they are asymptomatic or have only mild symptoms. If the symptoms are severe, no choice will be given and they move to a regular Covid facility. Even if any patients in this Siddha facility develop severe symptoms, they will be moved out. But so far it seems to have not happened.

A second Covid test at the time of exit is not being done anymore in any hospital in TN, as far as I know. Two people from our apartment complex got infected and were admitted in a private hospital. They were kept there for a week and then discharged, with the advise to be in home quarantine for two more weeks, which they completed a couple of days back. When they called the hospital to check whether they should report for a second test, they were informed it was not necessary. That if they complete three weeks and are normal thereafter, that's it.

BTW the minister who spoke in the first video is the founder of the HR management company Ma Foi Management consultants. He is an MBA from XLRI.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by Tassem

The penetrated mass fractions, in the absence of face leakage, ranged from 0.02% for large particle distributions to 1.8% for submicrometer-size welding fumes. Thus, N95 respirators provide excellent protection against airborne particles when there is a good face seal.

Excellent questions.
I don't think there is any scientific study that claims N95 masks are washable or reusable. Most credible institutions have been very guarded in this regard and have made some very ambiguous statements - understandable, given the shortage of PPE for HCW.

Washing loosens up the filter media. Alcohol damages many of the essential properties of the filter media and the electrostatic charge is lost. UVC and hydrogen peroxide vapour seem to work best.

I am especially concerned about "leakage" - if I can smell tobacco smoke while wearing a mask, doesn't it mean that virus particles can also get into my nose and lungs? I am almost certain that these masks are the scientific equivalent of banging a plate or lighting a diya.


How Many Times Can an N95 Mask Be Sanitized and Reused?

N95 respirators can be safely decontaminated without undermining functional integrity only two or three times, a government study showed.
Both ultraviolet light and vaporized hydrogen peroxide met the bar for killing off SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 without impacting fit testing for two rounds of wear and decontamination compared with control respirators. Filtration remained "acceptable" after a third round for those two methods as well.
Vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP, approximately 1,000 ppm) was the faster of the two, reported Vincent Munster, PhD, chief of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Virus Ecology Unit in Hamilton, Montana, and colleagues.

https://www.futuremagazineonline.com...e-debes-saber/

1 millimeter = 1,000 micrometers = 1,000,000 nanometers
The filtering process is carried out in different ways:

• Sieving: the particles are too large to pass between the filter fibers.
• Inertial impact: Large particles collide with the fibers because their high inertia does not allow them to follow the air flow.
• Direct interception: medium-sized particles are captured when they follow the air flow around the fibers.
• Diffusion: the smallest particles are captured in the fibers due to their Brownian (random) motion .
• Electrostatic attraction: The fibers in the filter are electrically charged to increase their efficiency, attracting small and medium-sized particles that are in their vicinity.

http://radontestingdallas.com/wp-con...ticle-Size.jpg

[Tassem]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Excellent questions.
I am especially concerned about "leakage" - if I can smell tobacco smoke while wearing a mask, doesn't it mean that virus particles can also get into my nose and lungs?

The fit worries me too. A lot of the masks we see fit loosely with a lot of gaps. Even facial hair prevents proper seals. I've noticed that when I wear my N95, perfume smells are quite muted. And breathing is noticeably laborious. (I am asthmatic) Which is a good thing when it comes to masks.

As far as cigarette smoke goes, the particle sizes are well below what N95 can filter. Which is why you can smell it. Here's an excerpt from https://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...95852260900374

"From these measurements it was found that tobacco smoke as it comes from a cigarette is an extremely concentrated aerosol with a relatively stable distribution of sizes ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 micron, peaked between 0.2 and 0.25 micron."

I am almost certain that these masks are the scientific equivalent of banging a plate or lighting a diya.

I generally refrain from religion or politics and especially refrain from religious politics. But it must be said that you're spot on. And exactly like those theatrics, millions are ready to place their safety into the hands of substandard products as well. That's the world we live in.

However, credit where credit is due, I noticed a general uplifting of spirits in my community during these events. sort of like a drinking session at the end of a long arduous day. Not healthy, not useful, risky, but still kinda helpful.

The only thing that will keep us safe is common sense and social distancing. Both of which appears to be in short supply.

OT: I wonder if K&N would launch a free flow filter and make some money now. The orange and black theme would look good too. KTM are you listening?

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by mvadg

I am especially concerned about "leakage" - if I can smell tobacco smoke while wearing a mask, doesn't it mean that virus particles can also get into my nose and lungs?

There was some controversy in British hospitals when a certain part of the donning of PPE was dropped. This was spraying a perfumed vapour in the face of the mask wearer. If the wearer could smell it at all, the seal or the mask was faulty and the test failed. I don't know to what extent this test was used during the worst-pressure times of the NHS corona crisis so far, but your tobacco experience would seem to be analogous if not equivalent. To my limited scientific knowledge, bacteria, for instance, are huge compared to viruses.

[DCEite]

Some good news finally from Mumbai and Delhi.

Mumbai Coronavirus cases are falling since last couple of days and so is Delhi's.

Infact Delhi has had almost more than a week of falling from the peak.

I hope the momentumn continues for these two metropolitan cities.

On the flip side, as I mentioned earlier, the states in South seem to be accelerating in terms of number of cases per day.

This north south shift of cases makes me wonder about one point. The cases even in neighbouring countries near to the north of India (Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan) are showing improvement. And most states in North India are either flattening or on a downward trajectory. And in the south it is opposite story. A month back the trend was reverse.

Does that mean the virus has a geographical pattern of infection ? Or maybe seasonal ?

[Thad E Ginathom]

A lot of us repeat that, chances are, catching this thing won't be too bad. Even us oldies would most probably not even be severely ill. It could only be mild. OK, what's mild?

Can't say I enjoyed this article today:

Think a 'mild' case of Covid-19 doesn’t sound so bad? Think again (The Guardian)

[hserus]

Originally Posted by DCEite

On the flip side, as I mentioned earlier, the states in South seem to be accelerating in terms of number of cases per day.

Does that mean the virus has a geographical pattern of infection ? Or maybe seasonal ?

The southern states especially TN and Kerala have a much more aggressive rate of testing than elsewhere in India. These days they are doing door to door tests in containment zones.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by hserus

The southern states especially TN and Kerala have a much more aggressive rate of testing than elsewhere in India. These days they are doing door to door tests in containment zones.

That's what I think too. I think the more cases being discovered is a good thing, it means we are doing more testing and starting to do things right, moving asymptomatic cases to home care, mild cases to covid care centers, letting hospitals focus on serious cases, etc.

(That is just my optimistic opinion though.)

But honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm wrong about that. It's only on this forum that I see some rational voices thinking like this. Everyone else actually around me seems to be overwhelmingly for blaming 'outsiders coming in from other states and bringing the virus' or 'because we removed lockdown'. I don't know what to say anymore to them without coming across as some Bolsonaro advocating bravado! Funny thing is the government (or at least some sane voices there) also seem to be coming around to the view (based on what I read in the news) that cases will rise in Bangalore, that is inevitable, we will just have to manage them and we can.

Like almost every other debate these days it's assumed you have to be on one end or the other. Either scare people into total lockdown on one hand or it is assumed you want to act fearless and foolish and walk around without a care. The middle ground where we don't lock people up but push sensibly for precautions and get on with living with this seems to not be an option. But I honestly don't see what other way this will play out in reality.