Will POTUS mobilize industry to help?

[goaliedave]

USA is on the Italy trend, 12 days behind ... when will industry be told to produce ventilators, masks, even build hospitals in a few days like China did, set up empty buildings / hotels for hospital beds? Waiting too long imho. Canada started today https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-relea...es-canadas-plan-mobilize-industry-fight-covid

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[Sandi Bo]

I'm sewing face masks right now. I'd say it's time.

 

[geekette]

Me, too. I have quite a stash of heavy cotton fabric, just not much elastic. Somewhat slow going, but, at least I feel like I'm doing something to help.

 

[geekette]

Mayors and governors have been locating empty buildings, the transformation is starting. I think it is in Oregon that a soccer field is becoming a 200 bed hospital. NY seems to be honing in on dorms, which I think makes more sense than hotels due to less soft goods (carpets, drapes).

Army Corp of Engineers is apparently trying to come up with one simple plan that they can use to convert buildings. I would like to know more about that because it sounds so smart, but curious on how to adapt to different buildings. Since NY is the only place I know they have been, maybe that is why the focus on dorms that are generally the same?

Industry is not being ordered, we need them to volunteer. My understanding is that the original thought of ordering was met with industry pushback, so the idea was dropped. to me, that pushback is why it must be ordered.

 

[fillde]

USA is on the Italy trend, 12 days behind ... when will industry be told to produce ventilators, masks, even build hospitals in a few days like China did, set up empty buildings / hotels for hospital beds? Waiting too long imho. Canada started today https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-relea...es-canadas-plan-mobilize-industry-fight-covid

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General Motors making ventilators:

GM to lend its auto factories to support production of ventilators in coronavirus fight

General Motors on Friday announced it will lend its auto factories to support Ventec Life Systems' production of ventilators in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

www.cnbc.com

Carnival Cruise lines and President Trump:

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241336261.html

 

[Sandi Bo]

Me, too. I have quite a stash of heavy cotton fabric, just not much elastic. Somewhat slow going, but, at least I feel like I'm doing something to help.

I want to say I 'dumbed down' the pattern (making the accordion folds was a challenge for me (and my sewing machine). I added a wire to the nose and it has an opening at the top for a filter. I can share what I did if you are interested. It took me a bit to figure out what I was doing, I can make one in 15 min now, if my machine doesn't jam. My daughter is trialing them today, I want to make sure she likes the fit and the wire and that she can breathe.

 

[geekette]

I want to say I 'dumbed down' the pattern (making the accordion folds was a challenge for me (and my sewing machine). I added a wire to the nose and it has an opening at the top for a filter. I can share what I did if you are interested. It took me a bit to figure out what I was doing, I can make one in 15 min now, if my machine doesn't jam. My daughter is trialing them today, I want to make sure she likes the fit and the wire and that she can breathe.

I changed the pattern, too, but with some scraps I have, I'm freeforming, no pattern. I don't have a problem with the accordion, and went to serger for faster putting the two pieces together. Strap manufacture is a pain, but fast enough. My regular machine is Heavy Duty, no problem applying strap/trim of multiple layers. the cutting is the slow part, but I'm used to that since it is almost always the hold up with any sewing project, and partially why scraps of sufficient size are skipping that step. I am cycling through various colors and patterns and whatever thread I have loaded, I have loaded. Not worth blowing time rethreading, and nobody is going to care since these are not fashion pieces.

Rosie the Riveter becomes.... Mary the Masker???

I also have a fair amount of clear vinyl and thought it could work as face shields. Can your daughter let me know if vinyl can be sanitized and re-used? Shields might be plastic and take whatever sanitizing without breaking down, but not sure what the sanitizing process is, and don't want to send along something that will break down or harm sanitizing "machines", or generally be useless.

 

[Tia]

3M already increased production 2 months ago

3M doubles output of N95 respirator masks amid coronavirus outbreak

Minnesota-based company 3M has doubled its production of coronavirus-protecting N95 respirator masks over the last two months – to a rate of more than 1.1 billion a year, or almost 100 million a mo…

nypost.com

 

[plpgma]

I believe our national leaders (POTUS on down) are doing all they can to bring private industry into this fight and, in my opinion, are doing a yeoman's job of it. It's an unprecedented time we are in (save for the 1918 Spanish flu) and I have nothing but praise & support for their efforts. As Americans, I believe this is part of what we are called to do -- support versus criticize (re: there will be plenty of opportunity for Monday morning quarterbacking once this thing is behind us).

 

[Sandi Bo]

I changed the pattern, too, but with some scraps I have, I'm freeforming, no pattern. I don't have a problem with the accordion, and went to serger for faster putting the two pieces together. Strap manufacture is a pain, but fast enough. My regular machine is Heavy Duty, no problem applying strap/trim of multiple layers. the cutting is the slow part, but I'm used to that since it is almost always the hold up with any sewing project, and partially why scraps of sufficient size are skipping that step. I am cycling through various colors and patterns and whatever thread I have loaded, I have loaded. Not worth blowing time rethreading, and nobody is going to care since these are not fashion pieces.

Rosie the Riveter becomes.... Mary the Masker???

I also have a fair amount of clear vinyl and thought it could work as face shields. Can your daughter let me know if vinyl can be sanitized and re-used? Shields might be plastic and take whatever sanitizing without breaking down, but not sure what the sanitizing process is, and don't want to send along something that will break down or harm sanitizing "machines", or generally be useless.

I don't have a serger and can't sew through the bulky material. But what I'm doing seems to be okay (Made the mask wider and have a 3/4" seam on each side).

I'll see what I can find out about the vinyl. My daughter likely won't know but I'll do some research. She's working today and asked me to look into the best type of material to use for filters in the masks.

So, you probably can't really tell, but my avatar is a take off on Rosie the Riveter. I'll have to make that bandana into a mask.

 

[Sandi Bo]

3M already increased production 2 months ago

3M doubles output of N95 respirator masks amid coronavirus outbreak

Minnesota-based company 3M has doubled its production of coronavirus-protecting N95 respirator masks over the last two months – to a rate of more than 1.1 billion a year, or almost 100 million a mo…

nypost.com

I sure don't understand why supply availability seems to vary widely. We see this type of news, and yet hospitals don't have what they need. Even if there are some masks available, they are prioritizing when to use them. My daughter wants to wear one anytime she is walking in the hallways and using any of the hospital's masks is not allowed. A DIY is better than nothing. Same with hand sanitizer and wipes, it's available outside patient rooms and not in some work areas (so you bring your own) as they are low on purifier.