Category: Island Life

COVID-19: Scientists test 14 face-coverings

Scientists at Duke University tested 14 different types of face-covering and found that one of them actually increases the risk of COVID-19 infection.

The coverings ranged from the kind worn by healthcare professionals to neck fleeces and DIY face coverings.

“The fundamental question is, how well does a specific mask type prevent droplets from spreading,” said lead researcher and molecular imaging specialist Martin Fischer.

Researchers of Duke’s physics department demonstrated the use of a simple method that uses a laser beam and cell phone to evaluate the efficiency of masks by studying the transmission of respiratory droplets during a regular speech.

The result of their experiment shows that the least effective face-covering was a neck fleece. It was found to actually increase the risk of infection by having a droplet transmission fraction of 110%.

“We were extremely surprised to find that the number of particles measured with the fleece actually exceeded the number of particles measured without wearing any mask,” Fischer added.

Bandannas, gaiters and knitted masks are also performed poorly in preventing the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Fischer emphasized the need to really encourage everyone to wear masks that actually work. Hence, they did the study.

N95 masks, often used by health care professionals, worked best to stop the transmission of respiratory droplets during regular speech.

Other good performers at stopping leakage were three-layer surgical masks, and polypropylene mask.

Handmade cotton face coverings were also shown to perform well and eliminated a substantial amount of the spray from normal speech.

The study was published in Science Advances.

masks

The league table of the 14 masks tested (picture number):

1st (most effective) N95 mask, no exhalation valve, fitted (14)
2nd Surgical mask (1)
3rd Cotton-polypropylene-cotton mask (5)
4th Two-layer polypropylene apron mask (4)
5th Two-layer cotton, pleated style mask (13)
6th Two-layer cotton, pleated style mask (7)
7th N95 mask with exhalation valve (2)
8th Two-layer cotton, Olston style mask (8)
9th One-layer Maxima AT mask (6)
10th One-layer cotton, pleated style mask (10)
11th Two-layer cotton, pleated style mask (9)
12th Knitted mask (3)
13th Bandana (12)
14th (least effective) Gaiter type neck fleece (11)

The post COVID-19: Scientists test 14 face-coverings appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.

Powered by WPeMatico

Island Life

St Kitts and Nevis to Reopen Its Borders in October

 

St Kitts and Nevis is planning to reopen its borders for international tourism, according to Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris. 

Harris said the twin-island federation expected to reopen its borders in October, allowing for the resumption of air and sea commercial traffic carrying international passengers. 

The reopening will be accompanied by the relaunch of a pair of high-profile resorts in St Kitts: the St Kitts Marriott Resort and the Park Hyatt St Kitts, both of which will reopen in October, he said. 

The Park Hyatt has announced an Oct. 1 reopening, according to the property’s Web site.

st kitts nevis reopening borders
The Four Seasons Nevis, the island’s iconic resort.

The Four Seasons Resort Nevis will also be announcing its reopening plans soon, he said. 

Local tourism authorities are in the midst of conducting training for more than 5,000 industry stakeholders in the country, focusing on health and safety protocols. 

St Kitts and Nevis will be requiring hotels and tourism businesses to obtain a “Travel Approved” certification and seal in order to open. 

The country’s phased reopening is being implemented in partnership with St Kitts and Nevis Chief Medical Officer and medical experts, the country’s government said. 

St Kitts and Nevis has the lowest total of confirmed cases among independent CARICOM states with 17 — there are no active cases, and there have been no deaths in the country due to the virus. 

For more, visit St Kitts. 

— CJ

The post St Kitts and Nevis to Reopen Its Borders in October appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Island Life

All-Inclusive St James’s Club to Reopen in Antigua

 

Another Elite Island Resorts property is reopening in the Caribbean. 

The popular St James’s Club Antigua resort will be relaunching operations on Oct. 14, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The all-inclusive beach resort is set on a private 100-acre peninsula in Antigua. 

all-inclusive antigua

It’s the most recent reopening announcement in Antigua, which was among the first Caribbean destinations to reopen for tourism when it did so in early June. 

Looking to head to Antigua and Barbuda? Make sure you get acquainted with the island’s COVID-19 travel protocols. 

For more, visit St James’s Club Antigua. 

— CJ

The post All-Inclusive St James’s Club to Reopen in Antigua appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Island Life

Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupts

Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung spewed a gigantic ash column three miles into the air and plunged local villages into darkness. Thick layers of ash covered areas up to 12 miles from the crater.

“Currently Mount Sinabung is at Level III (Alert) Status,” said Dr Devy Kamil Syahbana of the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre

Video timelapse erupsi Gunung Sinabung 10 Agustus 2020 pukul 10:16 WIB. Video timelapse ini 30 kali lebih cepat dari waktu nyata. Sumber: CCTV Pos Sinabung @vulkanologi_mbg @id_magma pic.twitter.com/ou6SV5ipyN

— Dr. Devy Kamil Syahbana 🌋 (@volcanohawk) August 10, 2020

Authorities have advised residents and tourists to stay 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) away from the crater’s mouth and be aware of lava flows. No fatalities or injuries from the eruption has been reported as yet.

“We urge residents affected by the volcanic ash to protect themselves by wearing masks. We also urge everyone to reduce activities outside the home,” said Armen Putra, head of the Sinabung Volcano Observation Post, Geological Agency, and PVMBG.

But local disaster agency said that COVID-19 has complicated matters as panicking residents violated physical distancing rules.

The volcano, one of two currently erupting in Indonesia, was dormant for four centuries before exploding in 2010, killing two people. Another eruption in 2014 killed 16 people, while seven died in a 2016 eruption.

Mount Sinabung is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

The post Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupts appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.

Powered by WPeMatico

Island Life