I’m also glad this has remained civil. I don’t think we know enough about the virus to chastise anyone for their actions.
Personally, I don’t really have a choice. I’m on call 24/7 for brain and spine trauma surgery. I have been in an operating room more hours than I’ve been at home this week.
I see people wearing masks but they aren’t sealed, so I’m not sure they are helping.
As far as N95 masks, there are about 4 pages of contraindications of who should NOT wear an N95. They are hard to breathe in even if you are totally healthy. There is an extensive fitting process for an N95 and then it only applies to the exact brand and model for which you were tested and fitted.
BTW, Trump was right about people hoarding/stealing masks. I know several employees at one hospital who have seen it first hand in the last two weeks. In one case, a construction worker doing a project on the surgical floor came in to the alcove where we get our PPE and was filling up a garbage bag with masks. Now, those of us who are actually in surgery are only allowed one mask/day (some exceptions) and we have to go through a gatekeeper and sign them out. I sneezed in mine yesterday and was too busy to walk all the way to the gatekeeper, so I had to deal with it for about another hour. Normally, it would have taken me 30 seconds to step out of the room and change masks.
As far as just getting the virus and dealing with it, good luck. I have already seen otherwise young healthy people in ICU for over a week. Alone. Not my idea of fun. Those who recover are going to face the possibility of lifelong lung damage. I’ve seen reports of stroke and neurological defects after recovering.
Bottom line, I wish I could stay home and buy time for the scientists to find a vaccine or treatment. I don’t have that option. If you do, please strongly consider it.