February 7, 2020 - WHO warns of global shortage of face masks

[MineralMan]

I clearly remember reading this story in The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/07/who-warns-global-shortage-face-masks-protective-suits-coronavirus

February 7, 2020.

The fight against the coronavirus epidemic is being hampered by serious global shortages of face masks and protective suits, according to the World Health Organization’s director general, who said there was “widespread inappropriate use” by those not on the frontline caring for patients.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries not to stockpile the protective suits that are badly needed in Chinese hospitals and praised companies who had taken the decision to supply surgical masks only to medical professionals.

That is when I knew that the COVID-19 virus could spread from aerosol droplets. That is why the shortage of N95 masks was so critical. I had a couple that I had purchased during a flu outbreak a couple of years ago. I gave them to a friend who is a nurse, and ordered a bunch of normal surgical masks, knowing that I might need them soon.

This story, and others like it, caused a run on masks of all kinds, making the shortage even worse. The race to manufacture more masks was on, with Trump making false promises about more masks becoming available right away.

My point here is that the fact that COVID-19 could spread through aerosol droplets was quite obvious. If it were not spread that way, there would have been no mask crisis. Trump's active anti-mask-wearing campaign began then and continues today, as evidenced by his telling a reporter recently to "take off your mask" and the crowds of Trumpsters eschewing masks at rallies.

The aerosol spread was known publicly in early February, at the same time Trump knew and told Woodward that he knew that. We are only hearing about his admission now, but the facts of aerosol spread were already known, and many, like myself, sought out lesser masks than N95 for our own protection.

Trump told people they didn't need masks. They did need masks, but there weren't enough N95-grade masks available to provide adequate numbers even for healthcare workers for months. Trump, however, lied and said there was no need for masks, and even slowed down distribution of masks to the healthcare industry.

The need for masks was known, and anyone who was following the COVID-19 news understood that. Had Bob Woodward made what Trump said in his interview with him known at the time, it would have made no difference. There were no masks available in quantities large enough for public use.

Woodward's release of his interviews with Trump at this time, however, comes at a crucial time in the 2020 presidential campaign. It is likely that it will affect the votes of many people, and may well make Biden's election inevitable, when combined with other revelations that are about to be made.

[Merlot]

1. Had woodward made this public sooner it would not have changed anything

He still should have, but trumpt would have continued down his path of denial anyhow.