Ebola in Texas.

[HoneyBadger]

I would not trust it.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...294936889&rt=d

From the link above:

Can also be used to help reduce inhalation of certain airborne biological particles like mold, Bacillus anthracis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, etc. Example applications include emergency or pandemic preparedness planning, stockpiling, etc.

LOL! Stockpiling is a recommended "application"? It definitely is not clear... Maybe that ambiguity is a part of their marketing tactics? Thanks for all your input.

[cmailliard]

This is good info- It's all a risk mitigation with cost/benefit... will a construction N95 mask help, is it better than nothing? Sure, but it may perform only 33% on exposure as compared to a ASTM F2100 L3 mask.. but still much better than nothing- depending on how much exposure you have. ANY N95/N100 will leave you open to exposure to eyes from direct fluid contact (a sneeze, aerosolized fluids, etc) thru tear ducts, or from cuts. A full-face respirator (and pressurized suits) is what they use when working with Ebola in the lab- so that is where people infer that information from. Even an N95 still allows up to 5% of air to bypass filtration... where an N100 allows less than 1%.

My point is if you're wearing the best N95/N100 you can find and somebody vomits all over your face, you're going to be infected- but is that a realistic scenario you need to defend against?

And another issue would be protocol- how long do you wear one N95 mask, how do you remove it, dispose of it. Since Ebola can survive for hours under the right conditions you could have live virus on your N95, take it off with your bare hands and sit down to a meal and you're infected. Any of this protection is worthless without following protocol.

Yes it will help, but again an N-95 is only needed for aerosol generating procedures or if you are right in the face of a patient. Yes working in a lab you wear much different PPE because you are working with the fluids that carry the virus. If someone vomits all over your face, you are probably screwed no matter what, yes.

Equipment must be dedicated or disposable so an N-95 is disposable. Proper doffing requires that you take your gloves off first so when doffing your respirator you must make sure to not touch the outer surface of the respirator, it is contaminated. You remove it by slowing pull the straps over your head in a very slow controlled manner. It is then disposed of. Part of fit testing requires a briefing to those being fit tested to demonstrate the proper donning and doffing procedures for the make and model of respirator they are wearing.

Hope this helps

[sellersm]

Yes, but make sure it will fit your respirator. 3M, Scott, etc. all have different ways of connecting to the face piece. If you have a 40mm NATO Thread, any 40mm NATO filter or canister will work.

Thanks! I do have 3M respirators...

Lots of good info here, keep it coming!

[cmailliard]

From the link above:


LOL! Stockpiling is a recommended "application"? It definitely is not clear... Maybe that ambiguity is a part of their marketing tactics? Thanks for all your input.

Yeah I saw, that and had to laugh. I am basing pretty much everything I say on past experience of dealing with H1N1 in 2009. I trust only a few respirators because I understand them extremely well and have fit tested thousands of people into them. In the order of what I would wear for an N95:

3M 1870
3M 1860
Moldex 1500, 2200, or 3200
Kimberly Clark PFR95

I probably have data on how many passed and failed fit testing for each model listed.

[HoneyBadger]

Awesome. Thanks again for the good info!

I recently had to re-do a fit test for the M50 because I lost my old paperwork. Fun stuff!

[cmailliard]

HERE is a PDF of a training I do for healthcare. It is about Respiratory Protection, Fit Testing, etc. It is on Google and should be setup so anyone can access it.

Edit - There is a lot more in this folder now.

[Great-Kazoo]

And another issue would be protocol- how long do you wear one N95 mask, how do you remove it, dispose of it. Since Ebola can survive for hours under the right conditions you could have live virus on your N95, take it off with your bare hands and sit down to a meal and you're infected. Any of this protection is worthless without following protocol.

I've worn a N95 for 4 hours during inter agency training. I may still have the protocols / paperwork for proper PPE donning & doffing. Once i locate it i'll try and post.

[RblDiver]

New patient exhibiting symptoms of Ebola.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/?lead=frisco-patient-exhibiting-ebola-symptoms

[cmailliard]

HERE is another Google Folder with Respirator specific information it. Product Data Sheets, Donning, Doffing, Fit Check, etc. I also put OSHA 1910.134 and ANSI Z.88 standards in here as well. I will continue to try and add to this folder as I can.

I also put together a list of important info for our hospitals as I start doing training with some of them.

General Information

• Lipid enveloped virus in the Filoviridae family (Marburg and Lassa are in this family as well)
  
• Damages the vascular system and leads to bleeding under the skin, in internal organs and/or from body orifices
  
• There is a diagnostic test to confirm EVD in patients
  
• No FDA Approved treatment (ZMAPP Antibody is still experimental)
  
• Supportive care for hydration, electrolyte balancing and oxygen are treatment options
  
• No vaccine or preventative treatment
  
• Mortality is between 50% - 90%

Transmission

• EVD is Infectious and Contagious
  
• Person to Person transmission requires very close personal contact with infected individual, their body fluids during late stages of infection or after their death
  
• Spread of the virus can occur through contact with body fluids on just about any surface
  
• Bodies can remain contagious for up to 60 days
  
• Blood, Breast Milk, Saliva, Semen, Stool, Sweat, Urine, Vomit can contain EVD
  
• Incubation period is 2-21 days (4-9 is most common)
  
• Not contagious until symptoms appear
  
• EVD is very strong outside the body, surviving up to 6 days (in a lab, real world may be less)
  
• Intact skin is a barrier
  
• 1 to 10 aerosolized infective viruses can cause infection in humans
  
• Preventing spread requires preventing contact

Personal Protection

• Immediate Isolation or suspected and confirmed cases
  
• Standard, Contact and Droplet Precautions are required for patient care
  
• Mattress and pillow must be fluid resistant
  
• All devices must be disposable or dedicated
  
• For aerosol generating procedures use an Fluid Resistant N95 Respirator
  
• Eye protection must be worn
  
• Gowns, Coveralls, Suits must be fluid impervious
  
• Powder Free, Nitrile Gloves - Double Glove
  
• Practice good Doffing Techniques when removing PPE
  
• Wash hands with soap and water after removing PPE
  
• Use hand sanitizer with 70% - 90% alcohol
  
• Surface disinfection use Bleach at a 1:10 solution

[hollohas]

New patient exhibiting symptoms of Ebola.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/?lead=frisco-patient-exhibiting-ebola-symptoms

I am reading that he is a Sheriff Deputy who had gone into patient zero's apartment...one of the LEO'S I mentioned earlier in this thread that had gone in without PPE.

NBC5 Dallas reporting 4 LEO'S and health worker went into apartment on Wednesday without PPE. They have now been told to seal their uniforms in bags and go home. Two Police cars have been sealed off as well.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/10/08/f...bola-symptoms/

The Frisco patient has been identified as a Dallas County deputy Michael Monnig, who was not one of the 48 people being monitored by federal, state and local health officials because he never had direct contact with the patient. Monnig did enter the apartment where Duncan stayed after Duncan had been admitted to the hospital.