Was looking at respiratory masks, Corona virus & would eBay do if it had to rely on USA sellers?

[prettywoman-2012]

So, just out of curiosity, and because of the confirmed Corona virus cases now being at 8 (to be expected to rise), I thought I would run a search for respiratory masks. Many search results came up, some for respiratory paper masks, and others that look like or are called a gas mask. So far so good, but when I looked at where the seller is located, in almost all cases, the item was listed as shipping from - China. 

This brings up some thoughts. Obviously, I will not order one from China, although the CDC says the virus will not survive on objects, exposed to air, for more than 48 hrs. But still. The distance is too big and if anything is wrong with the item, you cannot pay the highly expensive returns.  Several of the sellers I looked at are "currently away." Hmm, I hope they are not ill or are otherwise affected by the virus. I just read in the news that China restricted the free movement of people - those who are not suspected of harboring the vius - to only venture outside when they are either working in grocery stores or healthcare, or service-type jobs, e.g. gas station.  Most other people are told to stay home and only every second day can 1 person from each home, go shopping. 

While these thoughts were from the buyer's perspective, there are other things that pop into mind: what if, for some reason, all the goods coming from infected areas - currently, 23 countries are on the list, with varying numbers of infected patients, and 259 dead / 12,800 infected in China alone - would be banned from entering the U.S.A.? Aside from the effects of such situation on the Chinese people or Chinese eBay sellers, would such a temporary ban on their producst affect the ebay.usa marketplace, in that it would be, even for a short period of time, dominated by U.S.A. sellers' listings? 

A ban on all items shipped from China will probably never matrialize;  but just out of curiosity, what would eBay do if, albeit for just a few days, it would have to rely on USA sellers solely (on this USA site)? Would we all be selling more? 

PW

[7606dennis]

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@prettywoman-2012 wrote:

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@7606dennis wrote:

If you are concerned about the corona virus, why would you order masks online and wait for them to be shipped to you?

If the CDC advises that the virus cannot survive on objects being shipped, why are you commenting about not buying from China?  Do you claim to know something that we and the CDC do not?  Are you just trying to put the fear of buying online into peoples minds?

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Yikes. I was not trying to order the mask from China. Please read again - I said when looking for those, it strikes me that the majority of sellers offering them are in China. A HUGE difference from how you interpreted my words. 

As to your second question: Yes, I am not sure anymore how long they survive (the viruses). See my post above in response to Chapeau. 

As to trying to stir fears: you cannot be serious... it is hard to stir fears with something as scary as this virus is. Yet, I was not really trying to discuss the virus itself - if you read it again, you will see that I was just following a trail of thought. One could substitute the virus thing for just about any other possible scenario that would or could make eBay rely on US sellers, at least temporarily. This discussion went WAY off track, far from its originally intended purpose. 

PW

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I didn't say that you were trying to buy a mask from China.  My question was why would you be looking to buy a mask online (anywhere online) and wait while it was shipped to you, if you were that concerned about the virus.  Why not source them locally?  Even if you live way out in the country, it would be worth the drive into town, if you were that concerned.

I would tend to believe the CDC if they stated that the virus cannot survive on objects for more than a couple of days.  They could, of course, be wrong but I'm not going test the virus myself to see if they are.  However, I'm not going to live in fear and seal myself in a sterile bubble on the chance that the CDC doesn't know what they are doing.

Yes, the corona virus is a serious and somewhat scary disease.  However, advising people not to buy from China or anywhere online doesn't, in my opinion, seem warranted.  Again, I'm not ready to seal myself off in a sterile bubble just yet.

[7606dennis]

@prettywoman-2012 

"although the CDC says the virus will not survive on objects, exposed to air, for more than 48 hrs."  It is from this portion of your initial post that I surmised that the CDC had said that and you somehow don't agree.

It is from the last two paragraphs that I arrived at the suspicion that you might be, for some reason, trying to get buyers to panic and stop all trade with China.  This, in my opinion, could easily backfire and result in them shunning all online sales being that cases of the virus have been turning up elsewhere.

[3eyedfishcatcher]

If the CDC says the virus will not survive on objects, exposed to air, for more than 48 hrs. Then for shipments entering the USA from China with less than 48 hours handle time I would assume customs would then hold those items or all items entering the USA for 48 hours.  Rather than buying the masks on ebay perhaps go to a local retailer. While the item may have been made in China it would have to have gone through  a distributor  before being place don a shelf in a store before being purchased by you. In most cases masks purchases locally would have taken more than 48 hours to go through the supply chain before being opened by you. For items purchased from China since 48 hours should kill all live traces of the virus, if you are really worried you could wait 48 hours before opening the package just incase the sellers from china using low cost slow international shipping by boat managed to get the item to you in less than a 48 hour window instead of the 2 to 3 week window for delivery they usually meet.

[kingmate7]

I wouldn't rely on anyone at the ABC too much, a top Chinese official that handled the SARS outbreak many years ago recently stated when interviewed about the current Corona virus crisis that "at the time of the SARS outbreak the masks were proven at the time to be quite effective at prevention", so this seems feasible, if they were not somewhat effective medical staff the medical staff in China wouldn't bother wearing them in hospitals at the epicentre of the outbreak. eBay is the best place to source them by the way!.

[lightlily_arts]

Just wanted to mention that it is Chinese New Year. The Chinese New Year of 2020 began on January 25th Saturday, and their festival will last to February 8th, which is about 15 days in total. Therefore, the Chinese will be on vacation during this time.

[prettywoman-2012]

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@kingmate7 wrote:
I wouldn't rely on anyone at the ABC too much, a top Chinese official that handled the SARS outbreak many years ago recently stated when interviewed about the current Corona virus crisis that "at the time of the SARS outbreak the masks were proven at the time to be quite effective at prevention", so this seems feasible, if they were not somewhat effective medical staff the medical staff in China wouldn't bother wearing them in hospitals at the epicentre of the outbreak. eBay is the best place to source them by the way!.

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I just heard that N95 and P100 masks are the only efficient ones, when it comes to this virus. Not sure how they look like, but will check into this. Sadlt, the Chinese Doc (an Opthalmologist) who first sounded the alarm, died. He was hospitalized on Jan, 3th and died today, the 6th of February. RIP you good soul.

It is still too early yet to panic, so I am not going to, but the numbers are increasing, both for the infected and the dead (now at 600 in China but not many elsewhere).

PW

[prettywoman-2012]

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@prettywoman-2012 wrote:
He was hospitalized on Jan, 3th and died today, the 6th of February. RIP you good soul.

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Sorry for the late-night typos. I meant, "He was hospitalized on Jan. 30th and died on the 6th of February. He was only 34 years old. 

PW

[city*satins]

Just a reminder about respiratory masks.  Even when effective, viruses such as the coronavirus are opportunistic and can enter the body through other avenues, including the eye.  Hand-to-eye and air-to-eye are often overlooked means by which some diseases can be spread.  The WHO recommends protective eyewear for anyone likely to be around someone with the virus.

[prettywoman-2012]

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@city*satins wrote:

Just a reminder about respiratory masks.  Even when effective, viruses such as the coronavirus are opportunistic and can enter the body through other avenues, including the eye.  Hand-to-eye and air-to-eye are often overlooked means by which some diseases can be spread.  The WHO recommends protective eyewear for anyone likely to be around someone with the virus.

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Yes, you are correct! Last night I was looking and those that are called "full face" masks and they have a plastic cover on the entire face. Although the ears are not covered by them. Do ears pose an entry point, too?

They seem to be selling out faster than hot cakes, but one can still get a decent one for around 35.00 However, they come with just a couple of filters so then one needs a box of filters. 

PW

[the3gs08]

Hello To All, My 2 cents is...When a item says a location of USA I expect it to be in the USA and not the seller being in the USA and the item being in China. I have been purchasing mask products here on Ebay and Amazon that I see USA sellers and come to find out the items are being sent from China. Then when the are delivered late it's being blamed on the virus. Enough already!! Why does this happen and shouldn't this be policed by someone or something along that line??? OK I feel a little bet better with that off my chest. Thank You All, good luck with your purchases and Stay Safe for everyone!