Masks - which work and which don't?

A 2015 study entailed a randomized trial of cloth masks compared to medical masks when used by healthcare workers. Almost 2,000 hospital workers aged 18 or older that were working full-time in high-risk wards were followed. Rates of clinical respiratory illness and influenza-like-illness were tracked over four weeks. The result? The disease penetration of cloth masks was nearly 97%, while it was still 44% for medical masks. And the conclusion? Cloths masks should "not be recommended for HCWs, particularly in high-risk situations, and guidelines need to be updated." This was 2015. We deserve better. If you haven't sent a letter asking Congress to increase the distribution of PPE gear, you can do so here.

Who is facing a situation comparable to Italy? —

New York. Hospitals and healthcare providers there are facing similarly harrowing conditions to those in Italy. During a 24-hour period, 13 individuals testing positive for COVID-19 died from cardiac arrest at Elmhurst Hospital Center (these 13 included a 38-year-old). By the end of yesterday, all of New York's 1,800 ICUs in the city were reportedly full. Dr. Bray, a resident at the hospital, summed it up well: “It’s apocalyptic."

But why is Germany's death rate so low? —

Worldwide, at least 27,000 deaths have been accounted for, or about 4% of reported cases. However, Germany's fatality rate is just 0.5% -- the lowest in the world. But why? Christian Drosten, the director of the institute of virology at Berlin's Charité hospital cites Germany's more expansive testing model as well as early detection as the reasons for such a low rate. Ok, but how? This is, again, best explained by Drosten: "We have a culture here in Germany that is actually not supporting a centralized diagnostic system... so Germany does not have a public health laboratory that would restrict other labs from doing the tests. So we had an open market from the beginning." Now that's some food for thought.

Why are more men dying from coronavirus than women? —

A new study found a startling statistic about COVID-19: Men are 50% more likely to die from coronavirus than women. While researchers are not exactly sure why, some seem to believe that smoking, drinking, and higher risk in general are the main causes. Men, typically, are more likely to practice unhealthy habits than women, and those practices could be a direct correlation to higher death rates. Others hypothesize women have a stronger immune response and hormonal changes that protect them more effectively against viral infections than men, largely due to their ability to spend part of their lives carrying a baby -- a foreign body -- inside them.

This website yells at you every time you touch your face —

Just like the CDC said - no touching! But of course, now all you want to do is caress your smug mug. This site stays open in the background of your computer as you sit there working away and yells "NO!" at you every time you touch your face. Hello 2020, and the mother we never knew we needed.

What your favorite (or not-so-favorite) brands are doing to help fight COVID-19 —

Retailers are uniquely positioned within the manufacturing space to pivot their focus to the coronavirus. Brand names such as Estée Lauder, Canada Goose, LVMH, Prada, and more are donating large funds and, in some cases, pivoting their manufacturing agendas to help produce more much-needed surgical masks and hand sanitizer. Click here to see what these major brands are doing.

Together, we #StepUpNotBack —

COVID-19 has taken over the news, daily conversations, and -- not the least -- your careers. Amidst all the chaos, you've made a conscious decision to move toward the threat; to face the novel coronavirus head on. In choosing to become a nurse, choosing to work the bedside, and most importantly, choosing to #StepUpNotBack, you've become an integral symbol of the world's fight against this virus. Now, let us know why YOU choose to step up! You can tag us on Instagram (@TrustedHealth) with "#StepUpNotBack" 👉 Here is what other nurses are saying!