No chance of facemask shortage, minister says

[webfact]

No chance of facemask shortage, minister says

By THE NATION

 

Jurin Laksanawisit

 

There is an ample supply of protective facemasks for everyone while the coronavirus threat persists – and even if it worsens and demand rises – Deputy Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit said this week after visiting the Thai Hospital Products factory, one of several places making them.

 

“Ten large factories in Thailand can together produce 100 million masks a month,” he said. “Domestic demand is usually 30 million, but we would have no problem even if that rose to 40 million or 50 million.”

 

There is also a stockpile of 200 million masks that alone would meet demand for four or five months, Jurin said.

 

“I don’t want to see people buying masks in bulk, though, because that would just deplete the stocks.”

 

The ministry was carefully monitoring production and shares a “war room” with the Department of Internal Trade that works with the 10 mask factories, distributors and retailers, he said.

 

Thailand is even prepared to respond to a request from Chinese officials to export masks there, Jurin said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30381364

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-31

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[unamazedloso]

When does the general public get free masks to deal with pollution? Government doesnt want to willingly kill its citizens right? 

just sayn...

[yokat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Domestic demand is usually 30 million, but we would have no problem even if that rose to 40 million or 50 million.”

So they think this will not even double if the public starts panicking ? When they calculate domestic demand does it include Chinese buying every box they can find to send to the mainland ?

[LivinLOS]

1 minute ago, yokat said:

So they think this will not even double if the public starts panicking ? When they calculate domestic demand does it include Chinese buying every box they can find to send to the mainland ?

population 60 million.. daily mask use for everyone 1,800 million... even weekly mask use by half the population is 120,000,000 or +-3 times production ability... 

 

Thats without a single hoarder or run on them.. 

 

Funny how its already nearly impossible to buy them everywhere, and this clowns guaranteeing no shortage.. 

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Thats without a single hoarder or run on them.. 

Hording?

Who would be so evil!

Well, just a few on the flight home to China:

Pictures like this all over Twitter and Thai forums.

[DrTuner]

Oh yeah, 200M stockpile multiplied by the 10x price hike.. hey bro's come here, the trough is overflowing!

[Jingthing]

Well I looked in four places in Pattaya and all sold out. So I asked one place if when he would get new stock and he said impossible. So is my report fake news? 

[ParkerN]

Hard to know what to believe. i read in a UK newspaper that the clinical masks that there are most of in TL are pretty useless against virii, that  PM2.5 masks are better but not ideal because they leak around the edges. According to this article, the most useful ones are 3M masks with a valve. Apparently, the cliical masks are 1-use only and only hav the benefit of preventing the face being touched (with possibly contaminated hands)

 

If this is true, I think the above article is a bit suspect. Anyone have better information?

[Jingthing]

8 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

Hard to know what to believe. i read in a UK newspaper that the clinical masks that there are most of in TL are pretty useless against virii, that  PM2.5 masks are better but not ideal because they leak around the edges. According to this article, the most useful ones are 3M masks with a valve. Apparently, the cliical masks are 1-use only and only hav the benefit of preventing the face being touched (with possibly contaminated hands)

 

If this is true, I think the above article is a bit suspect. Anyone have better information?

Unfortunately nothing definite. 

My info says basic cloth masks which are mostly what you see do absolutely nothing to prevent getting infected but do help infected people not infect others.

So they're not worthless on the sense that people don't show symptoms right away and are apparently infectious even before they do. 

Also mild cases. 

Also have heard that the n95 masks are 80 percent effective when used correctly but half the people don't use them correctly. 

This might sound really bad but slowing down the spread is the realistic public health goal so if masks help do that yes people should be wearing them even the simple cloth ones. 

[adammike]

N95 is the US standard the EU equivalent is FFP3 as long as the mask meet those standards and they fit properly and you are clean shaven they will help.

I had viral conjunctivitis a few year ago and that turned out to be one of the flu viruses so it can get in via the eyes and a mask won't stop that.

Get hand sanitizer and use it and wash your hands at every opportunity with soap and don't touch your face.

[Jingthing]

Yes people should wear eye protection as well although if you were eyeglasses already, that's something. 

[URMySunshine]

I was in Jomtien immigration at 1-30 today getting a visa renewed. About 10 police bigwigs came sailing in each holding a fistful of facemasks. They were videoed giving out about 6 to 6 people in the front row and they left just as quickly all in probably under a minute. That is the truth behind any news of local government helping the people.Nothing is the answer. You are on your own .

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, adammike said:

N95 is the US standard the EU equivalent is FFP3 as long as the mask meet those standards and they fit properly and you are clean shaven they will help.

You brought up a point that I haven't seen here before. Better lose that mullah beard. Unless it's thick enough to act as a mask.

[DrTuner]

55 minutes ago, URMySunshine said:

You are on your own .

And always have been and always will. Arm yourself with information and supplies and the probability of coming out alright are excellent.

[adammike]

2 hours ago, DrTuner said:

You brought up a point that I haven't seen here before. Better lose that mullah beard. Unless it's thick enough to act as a mask.

Just read in the guardian that the N95 is equivalent to the European FFP2 so better go the EU route and get the FFP3.happy Brexit day suckers.

[Tounge Thaied]

Surgical paper masks are designed to be used in hospitals to keep sterile fields free of the healthcare providers own nose and mouth secretions during procedures, such as surgery. They do not filter out coronavirus. These paper masks do not provide an air tight seal around the edges and when you breath in, contaminated air simply flows in around this non-sealed mask. Even so called N95 masks are not considered to be 100% protection, even when worn properly (a complete seal). If worn properly, the N95 mask is better protection as it does filter the air down to 0.3 microns, the paper mask does not do this. The N95 rating means that the mask is capable of blocking up to 95% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger in diameter, when worn properly.

[ThomasThBKK]

According to twitter, thailands biggest producer is out of masks - caused by extreme orders from china.

 

Up 2 you who you want to trust, my random not even linked twitter thread or chachacha.

 

 

I know what i'll do.

 

 

[AlexRich]

4 hours ago, adammike said:

N95 is the US standard the EU equivalent is FFP3 as long as the mask meet those standards and they fit properly and you are clean shaven they will help.

I had viral conjunctivitis a few year ago and that turned out to be one of the flu viruses so it can get in via the eyes and a mask won't stop that.

Get hand sanitizer and use it and wash your hands at every opportunity with soap and don't touch your face.

I read an article today on the Guardian app and the journalist stated that N95 is the equivalent of FFP2, and that the FFP3 mask is superior to an N95. The general view was that they are not foolproof but at least stop you from touching you’re mouth and nose.

[Tounge Thaied]

4 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

I read an article today on the Guardian app and the journalist stated that N95 is the equivalent of FFP2, and that the FFP3 mask is superior to an N95. The general view was that they are not foolproof but at least stop you from touching you’re mouth and nose.

European ratings are rated P1 (N95) P2 (N97) P3 (N99). 95%, 97%, 99% filtration of particles down to 0.3 microns when worn properly. 

[RubbaJohnny]

Protecting face, a world hub looms.

Meanwhile 'backward' Singapore has blocked the sourxe

[kingstonkid]

GF selling them on shoppee can not keep up with the demand.  The ones they are making do very little to protect you.  This is a skin to skin or doorknob issue.

[Nice Boyd]

Ive gone to Two Boot’s Sold Out inKorat 

[DrTuner]

I did warn you about a week ago. All of this is predictable. Check out the movie Contagion for what'll happen next: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/

[samsensam]

 

but do they work...?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/31/our-face-mask-future-do-they-really-help-beat-flu-coronavirus-and-pollution

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

“Ten large factories in Thailand can together produce 100 million masks a month,” he said. “Domestic demand is usually 30 million, but we would have no problem even if that rose to 40 million or 50 million.”

Yesterday my local Big C had no masks, 3 pharmacies within Big C had also sold-out.

I visited tesco lek on the way home: sold out, CJ-stores up the road: sold out, family mart: sold out... plus two pharmacies near my home both sold out!!!!

[FarFlungFalang]

11 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Arm yourself with information and supplies and the probability of coming out alright are excellent.

Many are confusing ignorance with information and so the battle continues.

[DrTuner]

I did manage to get my hands on 20 3M N95's a week ago. Now I've set up a recycling system, where used masks are placed in a UV radiation box I built ( germicidal UV light and a cardboard box ) for a day before put into another box to be reused after a couple of days. This way the supply should last for a fairly long time. Heat treatment in an oven might also be an option. 

 

Quote

Heat at 56°C kills the SARS coronavirus at around 10000 units per 15 min (quick reduction).

https://www.who.int/csr/sars/survival_2003_05_04/en/

 

EDIT: Same questions about longevity were posed before and some data is available: https://www.quora.com/On-average-how-long-can-I-wear-a-3M-N95-face-mask-before-it-needs-to-be-disposed

[Tounge Thaied]

13 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I did manage to get my hands on 20 3M N95's a week ago. Now I've set up a recycling system, where used masks are placed in a UV radiation box I built ( germicidal UV light and a cardboard box ) for a day before put into another box to be reused after a couple of days. This way the supply should last for a fairly long time. Heat treatment in an oven might also be an option. 

You're really getting into the spirit of this. Additionally, well ventilated masks will not hold a living virus for long. Purportedly anywhere from 1-5 days. The RNA enveloped Coronavirus eventually dies without a host. You can simply add this to your sterilization protocol as an additional assurance that the mask will be free of the virus. 

[Drax]

Ordered in Lazada 2 days ago. It auto canceled today. Went pharmacy yesterday. Soldout everywhere.

[Beggar]

"There is an ample supply of protective facemasks for everyone while the coronavirus threat persists."

 

Great information. Next please let us know where we can buy them. Could not find them here in Pattaya.