This week, @TorontoStar published 2 articles re. whether the public should upgrade their masks for the Delta wave.
That's good, except that they chose to interview ID experts steeped in #DropletDogma, who thoroughly muddied the waters on this critical, life-saving topic.
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That's good, except that they chose to interview ID experts steeped in #DropletDogma, who thoroughly muddied the waters on this critical, life-saving topic.
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First is this story, which asks: Is it time to upgrade your mask? The obvious answer is YES!! But instead of giving this unequivocal advice, the article muddies the issue, providing reckless quotes from the Ministry of Health and biased IPAC officials.
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https://twitter.com/Mariasarrouh/status/1433778091294343168?t=4s_5H22BQpkbAaZ3VXabNw&s=19
Let's analyze these quotes. First, the Ministry of Health states that ALL medical masks should be reserved for HCWs.
This is ludicrous.
We have a GLUT of Canadian made PPE, INCLUDING N95 Respirators! In hospitals, IPAC has the N95s locked up!
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This is ludicrous.
We have a GLUT of Canadian made PPE, INCLUDING N95 Respirators! In hospitals, IPAC has the N95s locked up!
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https://twitter.com/BarryHunt008/status/1434236583532711942?s=20
Canadian PPE manufacturers answered the call and stood up lines in record time. But now they can't move their product, because PH/IPAC are stuck on #DropletDogma. HCWs aren't being given N95s for COVID patients. So then what are we saving them for??
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https://twitter.com/jvipondmd/status/1433179787028275204?s=20
Next up, @AlonVaisman IPAC at @UHN, weighs in with some classic #DropletDogma. First, he states that N95 masks "require a proper fitting", thus they shouldn't be recommended for the public. @brosseau_lisa has debunked this talking point.
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https://twitter.com/caruzycki/status/1378015729815982081?t=OfLuO36mBWJzXyasHe8IeQ&s=19
Let's also clarify that it's not a "fitting", they aren't molding the respirator to your face. They're just checking that a particular style of respirator seals to your face shape. The new soft-fold respirators are comfortable and fit most faces.
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https://twitter.com/rye_b/status/1379171747891716104?t=yIRaYee8zeFSx-lqZRuoxg&s=19
While a poorly fitting respirator might fail with 5% leakage during head movements, that's obviously superior than a gapping surgical mask, which will fail with 20% leakage during quiet breathing.
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https://twitter.com/JenniferKShea/status/1388557035952906242?s=19
Dr. Vaisman also says KN95s don't require a fit test "because they provide a better seal". That is so incredibly wrong. @TorontoStar should have called an Occ Hygienist to fact check this. KN95s typically have earloops instead of headstraps, hence they will have a worse seal.
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He then loses all credibility by stating that a loose surgical mask is "adequate" and encourages the public NOT to upgrade their mask to an N95 or KN95. This is dangerous nonsense given that SARS2 primarily transmits via inhaled Aerosols and Delta is even more transmissible.
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The icing on the cake, is this statement suggesting that people generally don't need to wear masks indoors, and that taking off your mask at a restaurant is "totally fine". Aerosols do not care about IPAC's 2m rule. Maybe he should read Li et al 2021.
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sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
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sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
Finally, the article should've disclosed that the MOH and IPAC have a huge COI re. this question. They have been actively obstructing HCWs from accessing N95s. If it turns out (as physics would suggest) that they were wrong, they are LIABLE.
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https://twitter.com/CPita3/status/1431116122267561989?s=20
So if that wasn't bad enough, @TorontoStar had to go and release ANOTHER article, just to make sure the water was sufficiently muddied for parents. This one interviewed some different ID Docs, who are equally steeped in #DropletDogma.
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https://twitter.com/TorontoStar/status/1434110994461061120?s=19
First, we have Dr. Banerji suggesting kids not wear respirators, because "we need to keep them for the hospitals". Again.. we have a GLUT OF RESPIRATORS in 🇨🇦.
HCWs CURRENTLY AREN'T ALLOWED TO WEAR THEM.
And obviously a respirator that would fit A KID wouldn't fit an adult!
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HCWs CURRENTLY AREN'T ALLOWED TO WEAR THEM.
And obviously a respirator that would fit A KID wouldn't fit an adult!
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The second statement is even worse. Dr. Banerji says that a non-fit-tested N95 is *useless*. The cognitive dissonance in this is astounding. She recognizes how critical FIT is, to the point that she says an imperfect N95 is *useless*, but then says wear a cloth mask. WHAT?
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If the above anti-masker statement re. unfitted N95s being *useless* wasn't bad enough, @TorontoStar included another from Dr. Wong, who implied it was dangerous for ANYONE to be wearing a Respirator all day, without breaks. This is "harms of acne" style hot garbage.
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THERE ARE NO HARMS ASSOCIATED WITH WEARING A RESPIRATOR!
THEY ARE ENGINEERED TO BE BREATHABLE.
I know many people, including my husband, who wear them ALL DAY LONG.
Next time, interview an Occ Hygienist, or an ACTUAL PPE EXPERT.
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THEY ARE ENGINEERED TO BE BREATHABLE.
I know many people, including my husband, who wear them ALL DAY LONG.
Next time, interview an Occ Hygienist, or an ACTUAL PPE EXPERT.
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There are many child-size KN95 and KF94 respirators on the market, which have a great filter AND FIT, and which are engineered to be comfortable and BREATHABLE.
Here's one example, which I've heard great things about:
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canadastrongmasks.ca/products/ca-n9…
Here's one example, which I've heard great things about:
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canadastrongmasks.ca/products/ca-n9…
Bottom line, Delta is here and #COVIDisAirborne.
That means it spreads like smoke, and can be inhaled from the air.
If you don't just care about source control, and you want to protect YOURSELF, it's time to upgrade to #RespiratorsNow.
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That means it spreads like smoke, and can be inhaled from the air.
If you don't just care about source control, and you want to protect YOURSELF, it's time to upgrade to #RespiratorsNow.
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https://twitter.com/CPita3/status/1424203069286408199?s=19
While you can try to MacGyver a cloth mask with a filter, which may or may not be breathable, and may or may not fit well - a more reliable solution is to buy Respirators that are already fit for purpose.
You can re-use them, just let them sit for a day or 2 between uses.
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You can re-use them, just let them sit for a day or 2 between uses.
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If re-using Respirators is still out of your budget, a surgical mask + mask fitter brace is another great option. See this excellent thread 👇
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https://twitter.com/deejcane/status/1434148996461830145?s=19
If you're a HCW or other frontline worker that has a high risk of exposure, you should demand fit-tested Respiratory PPE.
It is EGREGIOUS that Canadian HCWs treating COVID patients are still given surgical masks by default.
Exercise your right to an N95 via the PCRA.
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It is EGREGIOUS that Canadian HCWs treating COVID patients are still given surgical masks by default.
Exercise your right to an N95 via the PCRA.
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And finally, a note re. the recent IPAC bellyaching.
I know these are good people, who want to end this Pandemic, but that's not the point.
Too many have perpetuated #DropletDogma, either directly or through their silence.
This incompetence or cowardice must end.
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I know these are good people, who want to end this Pandemic, but that's not the point.
Too many have perpetuated #DropletDogma, either directly or through their silence.
This incompetence or cowardice must end.
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I see there's an international IPC conference coming up in September.
I hope the attendees are able to put their biases and egos aside, and bring about a paradigm shift.
This is critical to maintaining the longterm integrity of the IPC profession.
end/
icpic.com/icpic-2021/
I hope the attendees are able to put their biases and egos aside, and bring about a paradigm shift.
This is critical to maintaining the longterm integrity of the IPC profession.
end/
icpic.com/icpic-2021/
Addendum: If anyone is wondering what the blazes is going on here, watch this clip from @CBCTheNational.
cbc.ca/player/play/19…
cbc.ca/player/play/19…
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