Do N95 masks protect against Covid-19? At first, we were told they offered no protection, then we were told they offer limited protection. With the N95 being the main choice for front line health workers and considering the high number of those health workers that have contracted the virus, indications are they are not that effective.
Could a modified snorkel mask be a better alternative? Fitted with a virus filter where the snorkel attaches, the mask would offer complete protection of eyes, nose, and mouth. Because they are designed to go underwater, they could be worn right into a decontamination shower at the end of each shift. Once removed they could be cleaned further and reused over and over. Further modification by connecting a pressurized air supply to the snorkel would give the mask a positive pressure, keeping the virus from entering the mask the same way negative pressure rooms keep the virus in. At a retail cost as low as $50.00 they are an affordable solution to make up for the N95 backlog and effectiveness.
The hydro-code in Canada is based on safety and common sense, but all that goes out the window when it comes to trees. After all, to be safe, common sense would suggest that no tree should be planted near an overhead powerline when its height at maturity could cause contact with the power line. Also, all existing trees near major overhead power lines should be cut down when possible if their hight gets to a point where it would come into contact with the power lines should it fall over.
Despite safety and common sense, governments continue to purposely plant new trees on boulevards, directly under power lines. Whatever the reasoning, save the planet or being green, the benefit is more than offset out by the fleets of diesel spewing trucks needed to constantly trim them. The cost of constant trimming also adds to the bottom line when it comes to our hydro bills.
Our obsession with trees has gotten out of control. In Toronto even cutting down or trimming a tree on your own property requires a permit. Anyone cutting down a tree without a permit, face fines and public shaming equal to that of serious crimes. In some cases, even when the roots threaten extensive damage to the foundation of a residence, permits to cut down the tree are denied.
There are over 85 billion trees in Ontario alone, those that put an insignificant few above safety and common sense need to reevaluate their priorities.
March 22, update. The infection rate of Covid-19 is unprecedented. It took less than 3 months to not only travel the globe but shut most of it down. Even with advanced knowledge and preparation time, Canada was still unable to stop a hand full of cases from infecting the entire country. With a good part of the country now shut down, the virus continues to spread at a rate that threatens to overrun the ability to medically treat everyone that needs it.
Until a cure is found, the only thing that could eventually stop Covid-19 is for a high percentage of the population to become infected and immune “contact immunity”. Public awareness and government strategies need to be done with this in mind. What percentage needed is unknown but the higher the better. If we can achieve this percentage with those shown most likely to survive, we will reduce the number of deaths.
That being said, as China seems to be finally getting control over its outbreak I find their numbers don’t support my theory. The number of cases they reported is far too low to create a high enough percentage of the population with contact immunity to bring Covid-19 under control. The only thing that could explain this, is if millions of more people were unknowingly exposed and became immune, they could have been undetected because of showing little or no symptoms. This would mean the percentage of deaths and symptoms from those exposed to the virus is much lower than currently thought. Unless this is true, without a high enough percentage of the population with contact immunity, China remains a breeding ground for the virus. Reopening the country too fast or the introduction of a positive case in the future could set off another massive outbreak.
Regardless of what percentage of the population requires hospitalization the biggest problem facing most of the world at the moment is keeping their medical resources from being overrun with too many cases at once. If we are successful in “flattening the curve” as they call it (fewer infections over a set amount of time), we will slow down the rate of transmission, enabling medical facilities to be able to keep up with treating the sick, but it will also increase the length of the outbreak. What took 3 months for China to bring under control could take until the end of this summer or even the end of the year. The longer time, unfortunately, also makes it even more likely for the most vulnerable to become infected. With this in mind, “Social hibernation” (not leaving your home or having any direct contact with other people outside) may be the best means of survival for those most at risk.
Who is considered most at risk of dying from Covid-19? Analyzing reliable data now is as important as treating the sick. Last week, data indicated it was the elderly or those with underlying conditions, especially respiratory. Now we are hearing of younger people being put on respirators. This is where the fast analysis of mountains of current data comes in. Is there a common denominator/s amongst fatalities? Does smoking, vaping or drinking put you at a higher risk. What about immunity to previous disease, demographics, iron levels, glucose levels, along with thousands of other possibilities. Being able to do an accurate self-risk analysis is crucial for individuals to decide between social distancing and social hibernation.
As electric cars become more popular, one of consumers main concerns is the limitations of a rechargeable battery. Here are a couple of quick thoughts on some solutions.
Between cities, major and secondary highways could be set up with periodic charge lanes. The charge lane would last for around 50km and consist of an overhead electrical cable. A retractable rod is extended by the car, making contact with the wire and charging the car as it drives. A computer on the car would track the amount of power used and would send the information to the power company for billing.
Another possible solution would be to have electric car batteries standardized. They would be located on the bottom of the car on a quick-release system. To refuel, the car would drive into an automized refueling station. The station would be similar to an automatic car wash but with 2 “oil change” type pits. At the first pit, the automatic system would remove the low battery from the car and place it on the stations charging system. At the second pit a different, fully charged battery would be installed. The battery could be changed in under 2 minutes. Because the car would have a different battery every time it was recharged, the batteries would be rentals from large chain refueling stations. The car owner would be charged a flat rate yearly for the rental as well as a recharging fee every time the battery is changed. The rental battery would also be able to be recharged from home and other current recharging methods when available. The yearly cost of the rental battery would be offset with the savings when purchasing the car by making the battery an option.
March 13, 2020, due to Covid-19 the government has just announced a partial shutdown of the Country. Schools until April 2020 and sporting events until June 2020 to name a few. The public perception seems to be that the worst of this disease will be over in several months and things will go back to normal, but with the development of vaccine possibly a year or more away, there is nothing to stop the rapid spreading of the disease again, as soon as the closures are lifted. Can we keep the Country closed for a year, what about food, essential services, and the economy?
So what is the best way to deal with this problem? The key is in the 2 things that make this virus unique. The first is that it is highly contagious and easily transmitted. The second is that it is not fatal in the vast majority of the population. Until a cure is found the answer is to isolate as much as possible, the small percentage of the population that has conditions that may cause the disease to be fatal. The rest of the healthy population should be allowed to be naturally exposed to the virus as quickly as possible, but at a controlled rate that would not overwhelm our health care system for those that may need extra help recovering. Once a high percentage of the healthy population has built up a natural immunity to Covid-19, it would make it extremely difficult for the virus to remain active. Those people at high risk could then come out of isolation in relative safety.
So what do we do now? We are lucky in Canada as our health system is not already overwhelmed. The current closures should help keep it that way. The next step is to slowly start opening things to the healthy public and allowing the virus to spread at a controlled rate. Monitoring hospital capacity is crucial in how fast we open things up. Who we consider not healthy and should remain in isolation should be based on statistical information from other countries on mortality rates due to age, and underlining conditions. Results from some of these countries like China should be scrutinized for accuracy.
If you are part of the healthy population you need to make a decision on your strategy. Do you try to hide from what may turn out to be inevitable or do you allow yourself to be infected at a time the emergency ward of the hospital is not overrun and can help you if you need them? After all, giving your immune system a workout now may help you get through Covid-2?.
