Why can't the USA make a ****ing mask?

[Ligament]

Can put two men on the moon in 1969, but cannot make masks.

I honestly cannot comprehend the roadblock.

Are masks alien technology?

Are they made of platinum?

This is really the most embarrassing thing I've ever witnessed about the USA.

We should be able to crank out 100million masks per day with a 1 week notice. This is not high tech stuff.

ANYBODY have any rationale behind the delay?

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[hyperalgesia]

Can put two men on the moon in 1969, but cannot make masks.

I honestly cannot comprehend the roadblock.

Are masks alien technology?

Are they made of platinum?

This is really the most embarrassing thing I've ever witnessed about the USA.

We should be able to crank out 100million masks per day with a 1 week notice. This is not high tech stuff.

ANYBODY have any rationale behind the delay?

It might be the profit margin? We're so used to farming this to China. If we made masks here, we have to pay min wage, offer employment benefits, inc healthcare and sick leave.

 

[Doctodd]

I saw that Hanes is retrofitting their factories. It’s probably a supply and demand issue. Which masks do you mean? An n95 is only recommended for procedures where aerosolized particles are likely.

 

[Eilat87]

Can put two men on the moon in 1969, but cannot make masks.

I honestly cannot comprehend the roadblock.

Are masks alien technology?

Are they made of platinum?

This is really the most embarrassing thing I've ever witnessed about the USA.

We should be able to crank out 100million masks per day with a 1 week notice. This is not high tech stuff.

ANYBODY have any rationale behind the delay?

Because 90% of medical supply equipment comes from China and we aren't supposed to like them as Americans. They bad. Us good.

.... and we need ventilators!

 

[deleted131481]

In addition to the problem of shifting production from overseas, there have been roadblocks here as well.

This is what the Defense Production Act is supposed to be for to control supply and production of essential items. I'm not clear if this was actually used or the threat of use but seems multiple companies are moving on this now. While private companies are increasing access, I'm sure there were delays due to internal company decisions. There have been bidding wars among states and the federal government which has added to the confusion.

 

[pmrmd]

Only the Chinese can be bothered to make such simple items like a face mask. They don't have to worry about environmental rules and the EPA or unions picketing the factory or the strength of the currency for exports. None of that matters. Just place the order and it will show up shortly afterward.

I think this changes now.

 

[hyperalgesia]

You can apparently re-use N95 masks.

EtOH and/or bleach are NOT effective but you can cook them...

70C /158F heating in a kitchen-type of oven for 30min, or hot water vapor from boiling water for 10 min, are additional effective
decontamination methods.

mask-ppe-EBM-v1.2-3-25-20.pdf - Box

 

[Ducttape]

thanks for that information. very helpful.

 

[Ferrismonk]

If there was a law put in place stating that any imported manufactured goods must come from companies that comply with US labor laws, we'd be making stuff again.

It is a million times cheaper to make chinese slave labor work 16 hour days 7 days a week than it is to pay minimum wage to a high-school dropout 40 hours a week plus health insurance.

It is even cheaper to have the chinese masses make things than creating a machine that makes the items without labor in the US.