A large coalition of labour unions and climate action groups have petitioned the US health and homeland security departments to take over the manufacture and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The unions, including the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, the American Federation of Teachers and the Amalgamated Transit Union, represent more than 15 million workers, from nurses to flight attendants to nannies. The administration is required to respond within 15 days.

The groups could sue if they do not receive a response.

Something is up with invincible market hand. As it only managed to hike prices but not managed to provide proper PPE in necessary amount.

Very dangerous trend in China

China launched a huge effort to produce protective gear to meet shortages during the outbreak, which first emerged in the country late last year before spreading across the globe.

More than 73,000 companies registered as mask makers in the first half of the year – including over 36,000 new companies in April alone – as prices and demand soared.

But the influx of new companies led to a “dilution in quality”, according to China-based researchers at Daxue Consulting, as firms from carmakers to diaper producers converted production lines to make masks.

Now the outbreak is largely under control in mainland China, domestic mask demand has dropped dramatically, pushing prices down.

“Our orders have been slashed five or sixfold since April,” said Yang Hao, a sales director at CCST, a company in the southern city of Shenzhen that makes air purifiers but added masks to its repertoire. “We do not need to produce masks days and nights every day now.”

Some of the companies that piled into the industry are now backing out.

Companies said orders had dropped significantly and some said they were refocusing their business.

“Our company has several business lines, we stepped up the production of masks when the pandemic hard-hit China, but we will shift back to our other productions in the future,” said one sales director surnamed Xu at a company that makes medical products in northern Hebei province.

Xu said the company now sells each mask for 0.4 yuan (about six US cents) – a quarter of the price they sold for at the height of China’s domestic outbreak earlier this year.

After international complaints about low grade products, Chinese authorities now demand a certificate of quality for those looking to export masks, which has also hit some of the smaller producers.

Between March and May, China exported more than 50 billion face masks – a tenfold increase for total production last year, according to analysts.

Actually we still have huge masks shortage, and all this issues arise because western goverments fully understand that having people wearing amsks help with less dead bodies but it significantly hurts businesses, and as ruling class is always proper servant of business interest - it is making choice to perform genocide.

Thousands of Germans took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday to protest the country's coronavirus measures - including wearing facemasks - which the protesters refer to as a "muzzle."

Ruling class now using pull - push strategy, from unfounded measures where they do not talk with people as grown ups to arranging protests that later lead to tens of thounads of people deaths.

The protesters are a mix of 'far right' and 'ordinary people.

And right wing play their role.

Pelosi Orders Mandatory Mask-Wearing

“Members and staff will be required to wear masks in the halls of the House," she says, adding she can direct House sergeant-at-arms to tell members to leave if they aren't wearing one.

https://www.otomask.com.br/

It's local fabrication, not such as 3M with a valve.

quick question:

what to do with the water condensation inside a respirator when using it for long time? you just put a tissue there?

It took really long time

@kurth

Are there any persons, conscious or otherwise, reading this who are using on a daily basis a half mask respirator with replaceable n95 or n99 filters ? And.... who's using just a regular 3m n95 or copies thereof ? There ...let's see if anyone responds.

You issue is that you constantly publically want to rely on some herd instead of iron logic and your own mind.

Even in PV private messages I got 5 messages since start fo protection topic thanking me about half mask and how nice it is. I expect that around 25-50 people started using them, but most are not regular PV readers, just look around occassionally.

@kurth

like I said, if I decide to go on a trip in a plane or bus, or decide to work in ER in a corona hospital ....I'll consider your advice.

This is called lack of logic.

You somehow try to apply probability approach that mass media is pushing into your own personal situation, it simply does not work such way.

And it's simple to remove a mask w/o touching it's outside active surface and hang it in the sun.

No, it is not simple, I specially talked to medical workers.

And there's lot's of videos about washing masks. It's not a bad idea. I've done it with soft soap and water and let it dry for a day and it's effectivity, judged by it's air resistance is unchanged.

I do not care about youtube videos on such subject, I prefer to talk to filter experts and manufacturer. Their response - do not wash, never.

Ask your readers how many are using half face mask respirtators. I'd bet you're a majority of one.

Never bet on the things you do not know (and you keep doing this).

I know few local sellers of such things personally and some guys who use such, I am extremely far from one.

In top cities like Moscow, Peterburg and special science center small cities that we have - half mask had been gone in one week (sellers had around 200-250 half masks in stock each).

Now despite extremely bad situation propoganda made people to ignore any protection (as business owners push them), but this is changing and will change very fast soon.

I've seen absolutely zero people wearing a half face respirator, not only in the town where I live and shop for food and other necessities, nor in the news clips of the country.

And? You also see zero people on Teslas in poor Africa cities, does it mean Tesla is bad car?

For example locally news outlets had been instructed to never promote and show good respirators with valve and half masks to keep them cheaper and available for medical workers (all of them use only such things with more and more half and full face masks by 3M).

And if a n95 face mask is uncomfortable after 5 minutes, imagine a respirator with that rubber contraption.

Half mask is MOST comfortable for prolonged use, as it is made for professionals using them constantly.

You also try to compare it to thing without exale valve that is complete horror :-).

Looks like silence of the lambs.

You like to tell me how you are not indoctrinated by mass media (but keep retelling me their points).

Why do you care? Modern people do not care, only questions I got for around 3 months is where to get such :-)

The respirators only work better because they fit tighter, which in turn, makes them more uncomfortable.

Why you try to talk about things you do not know?

A 3m n95 that's sealed will be as effective as any respirator contraption since both use filters

No, 3M formed respirators are WORSE among almost all options available (filters are good, but respirator fit and such is very bad).

Here many medical workers had been supplied by 3M stuff, they hate respirators and try to get our domestic Alina brand ones. But they love 3M half and full face masks.

You're trying to sell people into a system which requires constant buying filter replacements and maintenance, and is more difficult to easily use , which is the key.

Are you ok today? Pair of filters for half mask last 4-5 months of everyday use. They are cheap (here they are around $5-7, on aliexpress it is $11). They are of superb quality (99,95% and each batch is tested and certified).

I've found that 3m 9010's are reusable, with possibly countless wash cycles, and are as light, cool and comfortable as can be expected.

Of course it is reusable, issue is that as you remove it you have very high chance to catch virus. Do not wash it, it is bad idea!

.terrible advice. No one's gonna go to the store with a respirator !

Have no idea that you mean. No one will go to store with half face 3M mask? Are you kidding?

masks with exhale valves are useless to protect other people from your coronabreath.

Whole thing with "protect other people" narrative is made to prevent people to use real protection.

Proper thing is not for this, it is to protect you specifically.

And an obviously easily flawed design element, if the one way valve isn't perfect.

Do you understand that in 3M they are also made for blocking poisonus gases also? 3M modern valve is extremely reliable and it is always being tested during sealing test.

Just bought a 3m 8577. I'll give it a run. I'm of the opinion that fit is 95% of the problem...and slow and easy breathing. I'm testing augmenting the mask seat with vaseline.

As I told you are spending so much of your time and efforts on nothing.

@kurth

Stop spending time and money on crap (3M respirators are such, especially molded ones).

Respirator without exhale valve is completely unusable shit.

Spend few hours, find 3M half mask on international ebay and later get new filters on aliexpress, period.