Novel Coronavirus

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ChemGal said:
The need to remove a mask at times upon entering a hospital and/or people just taking off what they have on instead of double masking if the one being provided is required.
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Whenever I have gone to a place (hospital, Lab, Care home) that wanted us to wear a medical mask the instruction has been to switch masks, not just to put on what is being required but to switch.
 
GordW said:
Whenever I have gone to a place (hospital, Lab, Care home) that wanted us to wear a medical mask the instruction has been to switch masks, not just to put on what is being required but to switch.
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I haven't been to a place that has provided a medical mask, just disposable non-medical masks. I would hope inpatient is better, but I know doctors eorking in the hospital have complained they were given nonmedical masks but that was spring 2020, I don't know what is provided to most now.

Only place that has required me to switch was the emergency room.
When I made the deliberate choice to double (cases high, fairly busy with patients, wanted the best fit which are my reusables) I got a bit of a chuckle as I think I may have been their first to do so but there was no problem.

Everywhere I have been also accpts new disposable masks without swapping if one just says it's new, except the emergency room.
 
CNRL is requiring vaccines for everyone at their sites. Initially they were going to allow a negative covid test as well, so there was discussion about who would pay for that, the individual or our company, but that was scrapped. Religious and medical exemptions are allowed though. Wondering how many of the Northern AB guys will manage to weasel into that vs. how many will finally get vaccinated.
I wish more companies would step up with these policies.

I also want to know why religious exemptions are a thing for vaccines. Where does the line get drawn for what laws people don't need to follow because of religion?
 
ChemGal said:
I haven't been to a place that has provided a medical mask, just disposable non-medical masks.
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That is sort of the norm. When you visit health settings in BC you are required to wear the disposable medical mask. If you are discerning between something like an N95 and those masks, I've never been required to wear an N95 grade mask.
 
Northwind said:
That is sort of the norm. When you visit health settings in BC you are required to wear the disposable medical mask. If you are discerning between something like an N95 and those masks, I've never been required to wear an N95 grade mask.
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ANd in AB I have seen posts from people who have been told they have to switch from their N95 to the disposable mask
 
GordW said:
ANd in AB I have seen posts from people who have been told they have to switch from their N95 to the disposable mask
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Probably because they're worried they just keep reusing the same N95 everywhere. Could be brand new but how would anyone know unless they unwrapped it in front of those watching the door?
 
Northwind said:
That is sort of the norm. When you visit health settings in BC you are required to wear the disposable medical mask. If you are discerning between something like an N95 and those masks, I've never been required to wear an N95 grade mask.
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No, there are disposable medical masks that are not N95. Prepandemic there wouldn't have been non-medical masks in use. Ie. It would just be things like these: COVID-19 medical masks and respirators: Information for health professionals - Canada.ca

The only 'grading' on non-medical masks is that the boxes actually state non-medical mask. AB is not handing out medical masks at entrance, emergency room or otherwise. It's similar to the free masks that government got drive thru fast food places to hand out to the public.
 
GordW said:
ANd in AB I have seen posts from people who have been told they have to switch from their N95 to the disposable mask
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That makes me mad, as people should be able to choose for themselves the level of protection they get.
 
Medical mask -
Zogear%20New_Box.jpg


N95 (gives the marks on the faces that we have seen of nurses working on the COVID wards)
KN95%20Box.jpg


Non-medical mask
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My sister was working in ORs at times. Pre-pandemic she was always given a blue and white medical mask to wear, although she doesn't enter the sterile field. Since COVID, she would get a non-medical mask to wear at the entrance and for a while that is what she would have to wear the entire time she was working within hospitals. When medical masks were less rationed, she has been able to switch to the provided medical masks by choice once with the medical staff she is working with, which she does, due to better fit/less irritation. Plus overall they do give better protection as they have to meet certain levels of testing for what is unable to pass through.
 
BetteTheRed said:
Here's an interesting question: I think that "medical exemption from vaccination" - i.e. an allergy to ingredients or such an immune compromised system that vaccination is not recommended - and a "medical exemption from masking" - severe PTSD due to a confining sort of trauma and/or such severe trauma to face that a mask could not be tolerated, would not very often overlap? So, if you can't do one, you can generally do the other?
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I am thinking of my friend’s workplace with L’Arche and the autistic adults she is looking after. I think getting a needle might be equally bad as having a mask on for some of them.
 
GordW said:
Whenever I have gone to a place (hospital, Lab, Care home) that wanted us to wear a medical mask the instruction has been to switch masks, not just to put on what is being required but to switch.
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Here, the rule depends on what stage we are in. We were up to “medical mask only” ad went down to cloth masks are ok for visitors. Except for the emergency department, where they are giving you a medical mask. Which makes sense, since they don’t know what you are coming in with. There are also a lot of “ medical masks” out there that are not medical grade mask. The do not provide the same protection on you can find a small print on the packaging saying” this is not a medical mask”- but it looks like one.
 
ChemGal said:
N95 (gives the marks on the faces that we have seen of nurses working on the COVID wards)
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The package clearly says non-medical and KN95.

All hospital direct patient staff has to be fitted for N95 masks, it’s nothing you just grab off the shelf. The test takes about 15 minutes and tests if any particles are coming through the masks while you are moving and speaking. We have to do the test every couple of years then get a card with our mask size. If your test card has expired, you cannot go into certain patient rooms that require that level of masks until you have retested.
 
We had to go through that mask fit testing at the hospital when I was working. The guys had to be clean shaven for it. It was quite the procedure.

Probably why I am cynical about non medical masks. I am sure they are better than nothing though.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
The package clearly says non-medical and KN95.

All hospital direct patient staff has to be fitted for N95 masks, it’s nothing you just grab off the shelf. The test takes about 15 minutes and tests if any particles are coming through the masks while you are moving and speaking. We have to do the test every couple of years then get a card with our mask size. If your test card has expired, you cannot go into certain patient rooms that require that level of masks until you have retested.
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It's possible to buy N95 masks elsewhere. I have had a very rough fit test, wouldn't meet medical standards.
Some people with immunodeficiencies wear N95s every time they go to the hospital, not just now and some of them have posted about being forced to remove them.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
Here, the rule depends on what stage we are in. We were up to “medical mask only” ad went down to cloth masks are ok for visitors. Except for the emergency department, where they are giving you a medical mask. Which makes sense, since they don’t know what you are coming in with. There are also a lot of “ medical masks” out there that are not medical grade mask. The do not provide the same protection on you can find a small print on the packaging saying” this is not a medical mask”- but it looks like one.
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Non of the masks I have been given at the hospital are medical, they have all been non=medical disposable masks.
 
Sorry, did grab the wrong image for N95. They do clearly state so, and are a very different style than the early loop style, although there are non-rated masks of the same style as well.

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Most of my cloth masks actually mimic this style moreso than the ear loop ones, although aren't super fitted. It's why I feel they offer better protection than what the hospital gives.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
The package clearly says non-medical and KN95.

All hospital direct patient staff has to be fitted for N95 masks, it’s nothing you just grab off the shelf. The test takes about 15 minutes and tests if any particles are coming through the masks while you are moving and speaking. We have to do the test every couple of years then get a card with our mask size. If your test card has expired, you cannot go into certain patient rooms that require that level of masks until you have retested.
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I was fitted for an N95 mask at my last employer. That was not a wonderful experience.
 
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