Emergency Best Posts in Thread: any doctor in the house?

Another thing that folks need to be made aware of regarding face masks: Face masks are not reversible. The colored (blue/green) outer layer is fluid repellant and is meant to prevent water droplets from penetrating the mask, while the white layer is absorbable, because we exhale moisture. If you invert the mask, you defeat the purpose of the mask and the germs/viruses will stick to the outside of the mask, making it much easier to penetrate and enter your respiratory system. You must wear masks with the colored side out, always.
There is something going around about wearing the white side out if you aren't sick and the colored side out if you are. This is a very dangerous practice.

 

NO face mask, only a full face respirator-type with adequate filters, is 100% sure to stop viruses. But better an N95 than nothing.

People also need to be aware that microbes, including the Coronavirus, can enter the body by hand transmission through touching the mouth or eyes. A study showed that people touch their faces about 20 times per hour!

So first stage is to wear a mask now if you feel better, keep your hands frequently washed and avoid potential areas of risk - like Chinese New Year parties.

The final stage, if the virus becomes pandemic (infects the whole world) and has a high death rate (sometimes those that spread the fastest do not kill the most) is to self-isolate. This means to stay in your home! Avoid visitors,but if any do arrive then greet from a distance with a mask on, send them away asap and wash your hands. This is a very serious step to take but it may be the only way to reduce the risk from, perhaps, 50% to almost (and possibly) zero.

The flu pandemic of 1919 affected 500 million people and killed 50 million (these are only estimates and could be higher) - and think how infrequently people travelled in those days and how much lower and less-crowded the world population was!

 

The Corona virus detected in Cebu is not the same thing as Menneningo suspected in Dumaguete. Last I heard the corona virus detected in Cebu had not been verified as the type coming from China.

Meningococcal disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. This bacterium can cause serious and sometimes fatal diseases including meningitis (infection of the brain lining) and meningococcal septicemia (infection of the blood).

“Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses ranging from the common cold to more serious infections such as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. Common signs of coronavirus infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties,”

When I was in the city I bought some disposable face masks as per the Mrs. request, 5 PHP each. There is a protocol for wearing the masks. If you show the white side outward it means you are healthy and just want to protect yourself. If you wear the blue side out it means you are ill.

I wear the blue side out for my own reasons 1) I'm a fashionista and 2) people getting in my space is annoying. LOL

 

Just for clarification, meningoccemia is a bacterial infection. It's endemic in the Philippines, and although uncommon, cases pop up from time to time including in the Visayas. There were a few cases reported last October in Luzon. There is a vaccine available, which the Dept. of Health is considering as part of their recommended vaccination program.
Totally unrelated to the new coronavirus concerns.
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/10/5/4-month-old-baby-fourth-to-die-of-meningococcemia.html
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/201...l-vaccine-immunization-program-outbreak-.html

 

UPDATE: turns out that the person who was confined at the Holy Child Hospital and transferred to Provincial Hospital is the 38-year-old Chinese woman who is the 1st person in the Philippines to be confirmed infected with nCoV or novel coronavirus.

This woman stayed in a small hotel called Manhattan Chase near Robinsons and also spent some days in a resort in Dauin. She is now in a public hospital in Manila.

In short, this infected Chinese woman had made contact with several people in Dumaguete----pedicab/van drivers from the airport, airport personnel, plane crew, hotel staff, resort staff, restaurants, etc. She also passed by Cebu before coming to Dumaguete.

 

I would like to add my two-cents to the face-mask discussion....
Disposable face-masks, that you most often seen being used, are good at protecting you from large droplets of sneezes, saliva, splashes, and can be "helpful" against viruses. But, in the event of a real viral outbreak, you will want an N95 respirator mask. These prevent the smaller viruses from penetrating, which the looser-fitting and looser weave masks are just not as effective against. I always had a stash of the N95 masks in the Philippines (and still have a supply here in the US), just in case. I hope that nobody ever needs to use them, but they are good to have on-hand.

 

This is a finely balanced argument and everyone will have a different take so there is no one position on this. For me, there are truths I want to know and some I don't: Do I want to be told, if I am ill, that I will die in n days time? No. Let me die in ignorance. But some will want to know so they can do the most with their remaining time (e.g. visit every bar in the city at least once more). Do I want to know that a person within my area has an illness that might be dangerous to me? Sure (it may temporarily avoid my first dilemma above!) - at least it gives me a chance to find preventative measures. Should I be told the death rate from a vaccine? Definitely - I am the one should be able to decide if I wish to take the risk. But, an issue touched on here by others, should people be allowed to refuse vaccination, if they feel it has a risk? Well, they should be told the truth about the risk but the common good prevails - if there is a need for a well-vaccinated population to stop the spread of a deadly disease then perhaps it is no different to conscripting people to defend a country against an enemy attack. But, as usual, everyone has their own take on everything - and so they should.

 

Transparency is in order here. Why do they not mention which hospital? Reason: So that prospective patient REVENUE is not reduced. The public has every right to know where these quarantines are they should let them decide whether they believe the hospital can or will be able to handle quarantine without spreading.


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