Masks empty shelves?

[Fatboy148]

I was looking at a youtube earlier in the week. Some guy in Hong Kong wrote in the comments how you couldn’t lay hands on cheap surgical masks period but you could buy the 3M series rubber ones anyplace due to government recommendations. Something about their not being disposable and bringing contamination home with you . Who knows??[emoji2373]
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If folks are worrying about disposing their masks, what are they doing with the clothing and face shied they are wearing?

 

[Robbie B]

No. The 3M facilities that produce these masks in China have been nationalized. Their supply chain is just fine. In fact they've ramped up production to 24x7, effectively producing at least 400% more than currently. However, for the time being, China has halted all exports.

Masks ARE produced in the US as well. Again, production has been ramped up, but we've got a SMALL issue with masks being hoarded (some of which may be shipped back to China). My understanding is that government agencies have taken over the initial shipments leaving the domestic factories, to divert them for best use. Which means that in a decade, when the next virus hits, someone will uncover a warehouse full of dusty pallets of these things.

And just to be clear, 3M is by no means the only manufacturer facing the mask crunch.



BS, or include a link! Here, I'll provide one for you:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/maskguidance.htm

Healthcare Personnel
A surgical mask or fit-tested respirator should be worn by healthcare personnel who are within 6 feet of a suspected or laboratory-confirmed influenza patient.

There’s a difference between an n95 and a surgical grade N95. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices...t-infection-control/masks-and-n95-respirators


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[Robbie B]

If folks are worrying about disposing their masks, what are they doing with the clothing and face shied they are wearing?

Face masks are disposable and should not be reused, reusable respirators and goggles should be cleaned in a sanitizing solution of some sort. Clothes should be washed in detergent.


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[rlitman]

There’s a difference between an n95 and a surgical grade N95. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices...t-infection-control/masks-and-n95-respirators


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The only difference is that surgical masks cannot have exhalation valves, because they also protect the patient.

 

[HazetMatt]

There's no real reason you can't reuse one, just don't touch the outside of the mask with your hand then touch your face when you're not wearing it. This is making me glad I keep a few of these in stock and a P100 mask just for general shop use.

 

[PelicanPines]

One Asian man found an alternative when his supply became short... not sure what type of "flow" he was expecting.

 

[JRC3]

^
I have a box of the same sweat headbands I wear when I jog. They're pretty cool too, so cool people are always staring at them.

 

[Dagny]

I wear one once in a while in an attic or other places really can't stand wearing them glasses fog up. Before you buy 100 of them the rubber band on them last about 2 years if stored in a dark place. I don;t stock up on them.

 

[richfinn]

My town just got our first confirmed case of Coronavirus
Lady just came back from a trip to Italy!!!

 

[PelicanPines]

The only difference is that surgical masks cannot have exhalation valves, because they also protect the patient.

Wrong... it's because surgical masks protect others not just the patient. I knew what you meant... but you are so quick to point out things that are not your "opinion". Figured i would do you the same favor.

 

[Chuckles]

The CDC has come out and said after 48 hours of heavy coronavirus exposure, the masks are to be burnt in a certified AS9000 incinerator.

 

[visionguru]

No. The 3M facilities that produce these masks in China have been nationalized. Their supply chain is just fine. In fact they've ramped up production to 24x7, effectively producing at least 400% more than currently. However, for the time being, China has halted all exports.

Masks ARE produced in the US as well. Again, production has been ramped up, but we've got a SMALL issue with masks being hoarded (some of which may be shipped back to China). My understanding is that government agencies have taken over the initial shipments leaving the domestic factories, to divert them for best use. Which means that in a decade, when the next virus hits, someone will uncover a warehouse full of dusty pallets of these things.

And just to be clear, 3M is by no means the only manufacturer facing the mask crunch.

...

My point was: Stores have limited stock of anything. If there is a shortage, it only means they could not replenish the shelf, which has little to do with consumers buying up certain item.

A local Home Depot has this sign posted on the mask shelf: "Out of stock, next order ETA unknown."

I searched my garage and found that I have 50-ish N95 masks, all were bought dirt cheap thanks to Menards' rebate, like $1 or $2 for 10.

 

[Marctrees]

One Asian man found an alternative when his supply became short... not sure what type of "flow" he was expecting.

I'm pretty sure that's one of those used ( edit - "Soiled") ones they buy in a ***** vending machine somewhere over there.

Marc

 

[milwaukeephil]

A guy near me, who sells stuff on Facebook all the time, bought up a huge stock pile of the dust masks, the ones that come 50 to a box for $10. He is now selling them on his Facebook page for $20 for 5 of them.

And he is sellling them so fast he ships out at least 20 orders a day he said.

He is making a killing on these stupid things. He said he wants to make enough off of them to buy a brand new Ram pickup truck by the springtime.

He must have purchased thousands of these things.

Jim

I hope he has a big **** so he can GO **** HIMSELF.

 

[danski0224]

I hope he has a big **** so he can GO **** HIMSELF.

Karma will set things straight at some point.

 

[dogdog]

One Asian man found an alternative when his supply became short... not sure what type of "flow" he was expecting.

Asian MacGyver

 

[JJ99SS]

Wal-Mart has multipacks of women's underwear... not sure if they are equally effective as an N95. Might want to double up.

Got me thinking, maybe my wife's thongs WILL work! (Y) Knew one day I'd have a real reason to wear them on my head...

This thing is ridiculous. Markets tanked and I started funneling in extra cash into my IRA, 401K. Keep panic selling and I'll sit back and buy in. Maybe I'll buy some L Brands stock, short term...

I will say that I do feel it will be a virus that culls this heard of 8 billion, but this one isn't it.

 

[dogdog]

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/343526

 

[CJ7VFR]

I hope he has a big **** so he can GO **** HIMSELF.

He is already a big ****. So you may be on to something. But I can't fault him for trying to make money off of this whole thing. I would not do it, but there are plenty of others out there that are doing it besides him.

He paid for the masks, so he can do whatever he wants with them. If people are not educated enough to know that a dust mask is useless against a virus, and they buy them anyway, then so be it. One thing I did notice is that nowhere in his ad for the masks does he say they will protect you from viruses. He is just selling the masks in bundles of 5 for $20 and people are buying them.

As someone else here said, supply and demand has driven up the prices of anything with the word "mask" in it. Even reputable stores and online places are gouging the prices on everything mask related.

Jim

 

[Spacey_G]

But I can't fault him for trying to make money off of this whole thing.

You can and you should.

I would not do it

Because it's not worth the trouble or, perhaps, because you recognize that it's a predatory and opportunistic thing to do that adds zero value?

 

[ddurrett896]

I hope he has a big **** so he can GO **** HIMSELF.

It's funny when I see people upset about price gouging. It's actually a good thing.

Here's an example:
A hurricane is coming to town and everyone late to the party wants a generator. the store has 10 units and they WILL SELL OUT!

Option 1: 10 different people buy them, sit on them thru the store then either use or return.
Option 2: 1 guy buys all 10, marks them up 200% and re sells them.

A person who needs power for their medical devices looses power will die if they don't get power.

Option 1: the person dies.
Option 2: the person lives.

While I understand why you would be upset, gougers make sure people who truly need something really have access to it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I am not sure if these have gone out of stock, but it is worth the extra money to buy a 3M 6300 Half Face Reusable Respirator. It use 2 replaceable cartridges and they have various cartridge for different jobs (mold, paint, dust, etc).

If you are working in a very dusty environment or where a lot of dirt will be kicked up, seriously consider a 3M 6800 Full Face Reusable Respirator.

Shop around. Prices seem to vary a lot.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Here's an example:
A hurricane is coming to town and everyone late to the party wants a generator. the store has 10 units and they WILL SELL OUT!

The people I know go to the liquor store to stock up !

 

[M6erfan]

while i understand why you would be upset, gougers make sure people who truly can afford the markup really have access to it.

fify

 

[JRC3]

Hopefully this is all just a scare and the mask aren't needed...But I wonder if the shelves will be overflowing when it blows over and the returns start to pour back in.


I also wonder what FEMA, the CDC and the like have in reserves just in case.

 

[JRC3]

The people I know go to the liquor store to stock up !

What if the liquor store sells out.

 

[rlitman]

It's funny when I see people upset about price gouging. It's actually a good thing....
A person who needs power for their medical devices looses power will die if they don't get power.

Option 1: the person dies.
Option 2: the person lives.

While I understand why you would be upset, gougers make sure people who truly need something really have access to it.

While I'm all about a free market economy, the example above just doesn't work for me.

Someone who needs a generator to live either damned well better own one (or more than one), and also have a solid plan to get to a stable power source (with a backup plan as well). I cannot spare too much sympathy for either the gouger in your example, who profits at the hardships of the unprepared, OR the person who dies due to their own hubris.

And from an ethical standpoint, how is it that someone who can afford to pay a gouger deserves to live while someone who cannot afford to pay does not?

 

[CJ7VFR]

You can and you should.

I understand where you are coming from, but no, I can't really fault the guy. He found a way to make money off of people. Good or bad, that is what he is doing.

It is no different than in the recent posts on this forum about contractors/plumbers who have told us they know of people, or they themselves, who put in bids that are double or triple the amount that a job would really cost because they don't really want to do the job. But if someone bites for that high of an amount, then it is easy money. Is that ripping people off? Not really. The people who said yes to the higher jacked up pricing are getting what they want done, at the price they are willing to pay.

Because it's not worth the trouble or, perhaps, because you recognize that it's a predatory and opportunistic thing to do that adds zero value?

For me, yes, I agree with you. But to him, it adds value to his pocket, that is for sure. He is now up to 50 shipments a week. He will have his new truck, paid for in cash, by the end of the spring time I bet.

Jim

 

[four.cycle]

There is a very clear distinction between "making a profit" and "price gouging" or "profiteering" during times of emergency, and each state has laws on the books pertaining to the latter two:

https://consumer.findlaw.com/consumer-transactions/price-gouging-laws-by-state.html

As I recall, some people were cited and fined in a hurricane-struck area for re-selling plywood at ridiculous prices.

On the bright side, if and when this fiasco blows over, there will be a lot of people stuck with huge inventories of disposable face masks and little bottles of hand sanitizer.

 

[dnschmidt]

You have a better chance of being struck by a meteor than dying from this virus. Let's do the math 10 people/345 million = 0.0000002 or .00002%. I'm taking my chances and going outside now.

 

[JJ99SS]

You have a better chance of being struck by a meteor than dying from this virus. Let's do the math 10 people/345 million = 0.0000002 or .00002%. I'm taking my chances and going outside now.

Statistics aren't that easy. Epidemiologists will give a fairly accurate mortality rate based on a number of factors. Including the transmission rate, similarity to other similar contagions, and observations and symptoms of the disease as it spreads to name a couple. Also who seems susceptible to said ailment. ie who's getting hit hardest and who is dying the most frequently and what similarities do they have.

All this has been reported. Most of who is dying already have serious underlying health issues.

 

[Fatboy148]

I wear one once in a while in an attic or other places really can't stand wearing them glasses fog up. Before you buy 100 of them the rubber band on them last about 2 years if stored in a dark place. I don;t stock up on them.

I purchase the 3M 8210's and have used from the 160 piece cases for well over two years, maybe even as long as five or six years. The reason is because we mostly use the 6000 series full face masks. When you pick up the "dust mask", always gently stretch the bands before you put the mask on. We only stock the 8210's in disposable masks because years ago we had other brands, where the bands would easily break, even when new. PS... It may also be a problem if you purchase in the clear plastic packages but it's dark inside the box that they come in if you purchase by the box of 20 and those boxes live inside another factory cardboard shipping box. We also keep them in a climate controlled environment because I bet heat would let the rubber bands break down faster than storing them in a cool environment. Just some random thoughts......

 

[Spacey_G]

For me, yes, I agree with you. But to him, it adds value to his pocket, that is for sure. He is now up to 50 shipments a week. He will have his new truck, paid for in cash, by the end of the spring time I bet.

If I buy raw goods and turn them into facemasks which I sell for a profit, I've contributed something to society and deserve to be compensated for it. The person who buys up a scarce good and sells it for many times the normal price has contributed what, exactly? That's the difference between a value-added and non-value-added activity.

They are both ways of making money, but one is ethical and the other is not.

A common example of this unethical behavior is ticket scalping, which is sleazy enough as is. Doing it with facemasks during a possible pandemic is even worse because, well, no one needs to go to a concert or sports game...

 

[four.cycle]

To give you an idea of just how ridiculous this has gotten, this photograph was taken earlier today at the Costco in Redmond, Washington:



I noticed that almost all of the toilet paper up at "BigLots!" had been sold when I was up there last night buying dish soap and laundry detergent.

People are nuts.

 

[Spacey_G]

"People will be panic buying when this gets really bad so we'd better stock up before it's all gone!"

Unassailable logic.

 

[JRC3]

To give you an idea of just how ridiculous this has gotten, this photograph was taken earlier today at the Costco in Redmond, Washington:

That's ******.

 

[tym]

Except I don’t remember people empty mask shelves during bird flu, SARS, or Ebola.
I checked: homedepot, walmart, harbor freight, and lowes. Nothing
It was so weird. Felt like someone was playing a prank on me.

Or just regular flu, which kills more people every year.

 

[tym]

To give you an idea of just how ridiculous this has gotten, this photograph was taken earlier today at the Costco in Redmond, Washington:



I noticed that almost all of the toilet paper up at "BigLots!" had been sold when I was up there last night buying dish soap and laundry detergent.

People are nuts.

Man, so what do people buy when there's a norovirus outbreak?

 

[JRC3]

I live in SW OH, if they forecast 4" of snow the bread and milk shelves are empty by 8PM. This is the Midwest, not NC or TX, we have the equipment. I'm 50 and since my teens have never seen it take more then two days to clear snow for access. Ice, 3 days. Idiocracy.

I hope it's all knee-jerk. Still scary.

 

[rlitman]

Man, so what do people buy when there's a norovirus outbreak?

A bidet.