Masks/going out ?s - Bae?

[Chicken lady]

Or other medically trained persons.

sorry to start a new thread related to this topic, but the medical personnel I know irl are kind of busy and exhausted and not people I would normally call up to chat.

the studio where I do pottery work is opening with what seem to me to be responsible guidelines - hand sanitizers at the door, masks required, byo brushes, sponges, and towels, disinfecting wipes at every station, stations marked off to keep people 6 feet apart. I would have to touch common use buckets with lids. There are sanitizing wipes to wipe them down. When I was there before the shutdown, staff was cleaning handles, knobs, and other “high touch” surfaces in their area every 15 minutes.

I have unfinished work at the studio that must be removed by July 8 or it will be thrown out.

i could just let it be thrown out, but I have hours of work in it.

i could just pick it up as is and give up the opportunity to glaze it that I have already paid for (A significant, but not Painful expense)

I could put on my used N95 that I use for fine plaster casting, or a cloth mask, go down, and glaze it, which would involve long visits on several days.

i am having trouble making the decision - I am not high risk (I’m a “young” healthy 51 - my pre existing conditions include bad knees and macular degeneration) there are many people who use the studio who are high risk, but they have the option to not go in. I have not been there, so I don’t know how much use the studio is getting.

The only public places I go are the feed store (5 minutes inside in a mask, sanitizing my cc and hands afterward every two weeks, leaving the bags untouched in my car for five days) And my classroom and school gym - wash hands after touching key pad and front door, not touching handrails, no one else has been allowed in my room since March - touching only student pick up bags in the gym, no one else in the gym with me, washing hands before and after touching bags and wearing a mask in the halls and gym. And every few weeks I open the lid on the community recycling dumpster, throw my recycling items in, close it and sanitize my hands.

dh picks up curbside groceries and our mail and he plays golf. Every week or so he brings home a carry out pizza and I help eat it. He thinks I am paranoid.

i am looking for guidance on what choice is reasonable and responsible about my pots. I am open to comments on my other choices from people with relevant Training or education. (Not anecdotal experience)

also, I know you are not supposed to reuse masks, but I don’t understand the science behind it. I reuse my plaster masks until they start smelling like I’m breathing plaster - us it ok to reuse this one (I only have the one) in the situations where I have been using it and the pottery studio? I touch the outside of the mask with washed hands and the elastics. It sits untouched for at least a week between uses. Or would a washable cloth mask be better?

thank you.

[Gardnr]

Does the studio require social distancing? Limiting clients at any given time? Since you will be there for long periods of time you need to know they are protecting you and others. Do a quick visit to assure they are enforcing what they say. This "common bucket", can you scoop out what you'll need at once so you minimize the contacts as well as work disruption?

What is the current status of COVID in your community? If it is quite low, I would consider it as safe as it will be for a long time. You seem to have sound habits of self-care anyway so up those a degree when you venture out.

Should we reuse masks? Well, no, however, d/t the huge national shortage (yes, there is still a shortage in real life HC so don't believe what you hear), hospitals are requiring staff to reuse masks. Exposure to UV light is a great idea as it has been proven to destroy COVID. What I haven't seen is the impact on the quality of the mask.

Cloth masks are what my husband and I use. Masks will become damp over time from our breath and should be changed if the need is for long periods of time so be aware of your cloth mask. In surgery we change often because of accumulated moisture.

Our cabin is in a community with no COVID. We are practicing safe distancing and mask wearing when away from the cabin even though there are no requirements for masks here. Social distancing is expected and businesses are protecting this small community and ask that anyone coming from outside "bring love not COVID to the mountains".

I understand your willingness to lose the work and the desire to finish the work. What matters is that you are comfortable with your decision. The great thing is you have a choice. You could go work and if it becomes uncomfortable, you can ask management to reinforce rules and you could walk out.

Best of wishes whichever fork in the road you take on this.

[Chicken lady]

What is a long time to use a mask?

The buckets are on wheels and each is a different glaze - I would wash my hands, wipe the bucket off, wheel it to my station, use it, wash my hands, return it, and wipe it off.

[Tammy]

I think I would just let it go. It took me until 2 days ago to feel safe enough for a haircut. First one in 4 months and I usually go every 6 weeks. And I’m working and not at home, so I looked pretty unprofessional this whole time.

These questions are going to be part of our future for a long time and there’s no clear answers. You make it as safe as you can if you think you need to do it.

I just read that one of the people at the Ozarks big weekend party is covid positive.

[Tammy]

I reuse a surgical mask at work and I’m a director, so in an office alone most of the time. I just replaced my mask after 3 weeks.

How long to use it depends on why you’re using it. Mine is to prevent my germs from spreading when I talk. So reuse is fine. Nurses on the floor replace it every time they leave an isolation room, so many times a shift. The purpose there is to protect them from the patients germs, so a different rationale,

[Gardnr]

As you can see, you'll get different position statements from people in the same field. Unlike Tammy, I haven't gone for a haircut. I have only gone to grocery stores for a very fast trip w/list, no browsing. And I've picked up curbside takeout.

It really does come down to your comfort zone with your surroundings. Will you sleep well tonight based on the decisions you make today? My decisions in life are based on my "sleep test".

[bae]

I'd go with Gardnr's approach:

- what is the risk level in your community?
- how able are you to maintain distancing in the studio?
- what sort of airflow do you have in there, and how long will you be in? (Consider that low-air-exchange situations with other people in the space will in essence "dose" you over time, if it is that situation maintain wider distancing in the space, and try to limit your time in the space).

I personally wouldn't worry about your scenario much in my community, which has low infection rates, and semi-outdoor pottery studios. I wouldn't be happy going into the cramped stuffy pottery studio at the high school I went too.

If you do it, wear eye protection too, which is probably wise in a pottery studio anyways.

[JaneV2.0]

Maybe this is the appropriate situation for a face shield. (All the artistic types wear them! ;) )

[ToomuchStuff]

Face shield doesn't offer the protection of goggles.
That said, I would ask about option 3. List the colors of glaze you need, and see if you can get small quantities where you could glaze at home, and return the item for the final kiln.
But I haven't been in a studio since I was a kid in a neighbors one, and found a Little Lulu thing, before my mom's birthday.

[Teacher Terry]

If the infection rate is low and the studio is taking precautions I wouldn’t worry. I am 65 in a high risk group and got a haircut and color but they are only letting in one person at a time. Our local rate is low and we have also started going out to eat.

[Chicken lady]

I’m not sure what constitutes a low level of infection. In normal times the studio draws from At least 6 counties and two states. It is on the edge of a large city.

the glazing area opens fully into the kiln room which has exhaust fans for the kilns. It has warehouse ceilings and windows that open. It has space for five people to each have a 6ft work area. The studio is enforcing one person per area, although I think the private booths are allowed to share on their own discretion.

I wear glasses which makes goggles difficult.

i don’t think option 3 is an option, but I suppose I could ask.

[Teacher Terry]

CL, you can google your local area and see what the infection rate is. I do it everyday.

[Chicken lady]

I can find statistics. I’m asking - from a medical standpoint, how does one define “low” also, do I check all the potential counties? Average them? Just look at the physical location of the shop?

[mschrisgo2]

Kaiser Permanente has said that ”low” means “a distinct downward trend toward the singles digits, i.e. Statistically less cases and deaths, week to week.”

We still, at least theoretically, have a travel ban in California and my county of residence has now had no deaths from Covid19 for 14 days, and there is a very distinct downward trend in new cases, while testing has increased 4-fold. I feel more comfortable being out and buying groceries, going into the bank (finally open again), etc. and still taking precautions, of course.

In your case with the pottery shop, I think I would want to know who is currently, actually, using it. Is it really local people, or are people traveling in from those farther away places? That would make the difference for me because I could look up those numbers. Also, is it possible to schedule times when you would be the only person working in there?

[Chicken lady]

I thought I would update on the pottery.

i have gone twice. Both times I was the only one in the glaze room. There is an online sign up for spaces, so you can see who will be there. Everyone is wearing masks. Disinfectant is at each station and staff wipes down the disinfectant bottles, Sink handles, and other high touch areas. Staff also washes hands when moving from one area to another. All doors and windows are kept open and there are fans blowing outward. Work stations are widely spaced and well marked, although few are in use. One person allowed in the retail shop at a time and they give you a pair of disposable gloves that are required for shopping. They prefer that you simply order ahead by phone or online and pay at the time and they will place your items on your shelf or on the pick up counter. They are currently open to members only. I feel very safe there, but my membership expires at the end of July and I will probably take a break then. I have a few more items to glaze and intend to roll some extra large slabs on my next visit if the table area is not in use.

[happystuff]

CL, sounds like they are doing a good job of keeping the place and people safe.

[Gardnr]

I thought I would update on the pottery.

i have gone twice. Both times I was the only one in the glaze room. There is an online sign up for spaces, so you can see who will be there. Everyone is wearing masks. Disinfectant is at each station and staff wipes down the disinfectant bottles, Sink handles, and other high touch areas. Staff also washes hands when moving from one area to another. All doors and windows are kept open and there are fans blowing outward. Work stations are widely spaced and well marked, although few are in use. One person allowed in the retail shop at a time and they give you a pair of disposable gloves that are required for shopping. They prefer that you simply order ahead by phone or online and pay at the time and they will place your items on your shelf or on the pick up counter. They are currently open to members only. I feel very safe there, but my membership expires at the end of July and I will probably take a break then. I have a few more items to glaze and intend to roll some extra large slabs on my next visit if the table area is not in use.

It sounds as safe as it can be CL. Yea you!