Swine Flu Masks in short supply

[sishya]

My Wife works in Health care industry. Recently in a meeting they were told that there is very severe shortage of those masks. Also was told that Govt have taken over the companies making those masks. Wonder if these are being diverted or being stored for future use ? Hospital has started to take count of inventory of masks used. Also lot more swine flu cases are now being reported, since fall flu season is starting.

Anyone else heard these ? Maybe these are pure coincidence or just to prevent panic.

[Ghent12]

Re: Swine Flu Masks in short supply

Maybe the companies that make them were unprepared for the bi-annual world epidemic scare from {animal} flu, or miscalculated the year in which the next big scare would occur.

I believe it's most likely just a simple function of demand outstripping supply, and blame the manufacturers' poor business decisions for not foreseeing it enough to take advantage of it.

[MulaMan]

Re: Swine Flu Masks in short supply

I thought surgical masks were to prevent you from spitting your swine flu germs outwards onto those around you and not much help in preventing you from getting it from others.

The best prevention is to buy supplies and ride out the winter inside your own home from about Sept/Oct to until the epidemic runs its course.

Otherwise common sense tells me that a solid rubber mask such as this from Amazon would be much more effective as a barrier to other people's germs -

http://tinyurl.com/l3wyok

[don]

Re: Swine Flu Masks in short supply

Seven Bucks. Not Bad. Appears to be plenty.