firehuntfish
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I can provide only one data point in favor of wearing masks. My son is a paramedic who has hauled many COVID patients since the beginning of the pandemic. Most trips resulted with him in the back of an ambulance with the patient for approximately three hours (the time required to travel to University of Kentucky Hospital). I find it amazing that he never contracted COVID during this time frame. Approximately two weeks ago his girlfriend went to lunch with a coworker who was exhibiting no symptoms but tested positive for COVID the following day. Two days later my son’s girlfriend tests positive and then, one day later, my son tests positive.
I realize this is only one case but, to me, a very compelling one.
I am currently a firefighter/paramedic for 22 years working in the second largest county in Florida (the current epicenter of Covid if you believe the numbers). I have absolutely no agenda, and I would never impose my political opinions on anyone. All I can tell you are my personal experiences and observations from having run on hundreds of Covid patients over the last 18+ months.
Throughout my career we have been issued N95 masks for close contact use with potentially contagious patients. N95's are the only paper mask designed to block viruses which the manufacturer claims is 95% effective provided they are fitted and worn properly. Interestingly, most are not aware that N95's are designed to be fitted and there is a vapor taste test that we undergo annually to ensure the mask is being worn properly. Even with trained personnel using the N95, the mask test failure rate is 50%... N95's are are also designed to be one-time use and disposable after each patient contact. In the first few months of the pandemic back in March-April of 2020, we exhausted our supply of N95's and began using various sterilization techniques to re-use the masks until we were able to get self-contained full-face respirators which are supposed to be 99% effective (if fitted properly). We are also supposed to be gloved, gowned, and wearing the full-face respirators for any potential patient contact. This PPE protocol is standard operating procedure for most EMS systems and Fire Departments in the State of Florida. These Covid SOP's were established from a board of medical directors comprised of several local ER doctors who specialize in oversight of the various EMS systems around the State. They do not take direction from the CDC.
Our medical directors advised us from Day-1 that cloth and paper masks were basically useless, and the use of N95's at best, offered minimal to moderate protection depending on multiple factors including proper fit, length of exposure, and the correct use of the full ensemble of PPE precautions and equipment. Full face respirators were recommended to replace the N95's and are now in use for the departments than can afford them. We also established the in-house SOP of limiting patient contact to those personnel who previously contracted and recovered from Covid. Since I had it relatively early on, I took on the lion's share of patient contacts..
We have a combat staff of 165 firefighters and another 50+ administrative personnel in our Department. For the first 4 months of the pandemic using the N95's, we had approximately 25% of our personnel test positive for Covid. Since going to full face respirators up to the present, we have now had 80% of our personnel test positive. EMS personnel were among the first to receive vaccines back in January/February of 2020, and approximately 50% of our department has been vaccinated. Of those vaccinated, approximately 40% have since contracted Covid.
Since the emergence of the Delta variant, I would estimate that 50% of the Covid positive patients we are recently seeing have been vaccinated. The only patients we are not encountering are those who had previously contracted and recovered from Covid with natural immunity. Ironically, I contracted Covid from my wife back in July of 2020. Since then, we have both been in close contact with numerous Covid positive individuals. I encourage each of you to take these observations at face value and come to your own conclusions..
Like I said, I have no agenda. I believe each individual should be free to choose to be vaccinated or not, wear a mask, or practice whatever precautions that they feel is best for them. My only conclusion is that despite the vaccines and our very best PPE efforts, this virus finds it way to spread. Unless you are prepared to mask (with a real mask) and self-isolate indefinitely, I honestly believe that there is no way to avoid exposure. The recognition of the realities and the application of common sense will go a long way to mitigate the hysteria..