Cargo Van Will we be able to work through Coronavirus?

muttly

Veteran Expediter
Ok thanks. I have about a quarter bottle of 70% rubbing alcohol left and also found some 50% in a bottle. Didn't know if i could mix the two to make it last longer and keep the alcohol content above 60% and mix it along with my aloe.
The hoarders took all the store bought.
Found it. I'll use a little more of the 70% in the mixture so I'm safely over the 60% threshold.
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blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
You know what is sad though. My commercial cleaning company ordered 10 boxes of TP 96 rolls a piece before the panic buying started. They are now running low and cannot even find toilet paper from commercial janitorial sites, no more gloves, and all the cleaners that kill the virus are on back order. People tapped out the entire supply chain. What are they gonna do with all that TP and cleaning stuff/hand sanitizer? Are they guzzling hand sanitizer for breakfast lol.
 
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blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Just throwing this question out there. Is 50% alcohol definitively too low to make hand sanitizer with aloe? I heard at least 60 %. Thanks

I think they say anything over 60 percent to 75 percent. For some reason I read that anything over 75 percent sounds like it will work better, but it is too high in alcohol content and will dry too fast. If the alcohol dries too fast, it won't be wet on your hands long enough to kill the virus. Something to that effect. You should do a google search on it. I know Turtle will come along and correct both of is though lol.
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
LOL It's 60-95 percent.
!00% alcohol won't work, as you said, because it evaporates too quickly, and you need at least some water in there for the alcohol to even work (solvent and surface tension).

Numerous studies have shown that 60% alcohol will kill almost all bacteria, and viruses that do not have an external covering (an envelope). Coronaviruses do not have an envelope, so 60% will kill it. Alcohol does it by denaturing the proteins in the virus. meaning, it breaks down the proteins and they stick together (see, pan fried egg whites). More than 60% provides no measurable benefit.

So if you stick with 90% or better alcohol, and keep the mix as 2:1 alcohol to water, you'll be above 60%.

Technically, you should measure the alcohol content in the finished product to be sure, but how many people have an alcoholometer? Well, if you make beer, wine or moonshine, you probably have one. They're cheap. LIke, under $10 cheap.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Technically, you should measure the alcohol content in the finished product to be sure, but how many people have an alcoholometer? Well, if you make beer, wine or moonshine, you probably have one. They're cheap. LIke, under $10 cheap.
Many people have hydrometers to measure specific gravity of anti-freeze. Mine shows specific gravity and a corresponding temperature scale but not alcohol by volume. One would need to use a formula for to convert specific gravity to alcohol by volume.

Last fall I bought a 2 pack of 70% rubbing alcohol at Costco to add to my windshield washer fluid.
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alcohol.JPG
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I'm not making my own hand sanitizer, because I just so happen to have some in the van. I've always bought 91% rubbing alcohol
I figure I can dilute it myself if I need to. I mostly use it for detail cleaning of stuff.

If I were to make my own, I'd use 91% or 99% alcohol and mix it to keep the alcohol percentage right around 75.

I don't know the formula for using a hydrometer for alcohol, but we have at least 2 alcoholometers at the house, because a friend and my step-dad make beer pretty regular. One of them is a little tube type that I think cost $8, and another one is a fancy electronic one, about the size of a fat Sharpie, that was about $25.
 

piper1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Governments all over the world got duped by believing what the Chinese govt reported (and continues to report). I think some of the sudden seriousness in the last 2 days is they now realize it's mostly BS and Italy may be a more accurate or more relevant set of numbers to study.
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Another important update regarding COVID-19: the city of Laredo is implementing a curfew that makes being out in public between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. a punishable offense. The city also passed an ordinance requiring everyone in the city to wear a protective face mask covering from your nose to your mouth. This includes any type of fabric, scarf or bandana. Both ordinances take effect Thursday, April 2 at 12:01 midnight. Violators can be punished with a fine up to $1,000.

Apparently the coronavirus doesn't spread between the hours of 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Or maybe city officials don't want masked people out and about after dark.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I got home last Thursday night. I went OOS for a few hours Friday morning to get a DOT Inspection on my van. Since then I have had only one load. It was an airfreight, 154 miles from MSP to a refinery. I did get a paid empty move back home. The freight was one pallet of masks.
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Masks 04.JPGMasks 02 pallet.jpg
 

muttly

Veteran Expediter
Many people have hydrometers to measure specific gravity of anti-freeze. Mine shows specific gravity and a corresponding temperature scale but not alcohol by volume. One would need to use a formula for to convert specific gravity to alcohol by volume.

Last fall I bought a 2 pack of 70% rubbing alcohol at Costco to add to my windshield washer fluid.
.
View attachment 19957
The rubbing alcohol in that picture is like gold to me right now.
 
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ntimevan

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Another important update regarding COVID-19: the city of Laredo is implementing a curfew that makes being out in public between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. a punishable offense. The city also passed an ordinance requiring everyone in the city to wear a protective face mask covering from your nose to your mouth. This includes any type of fabric, scarf or bandana. Both ordinances take effect Thursday, April 2 at 12:01 midnight. Violators can be punished with a fine up to $1,000.

Apparently the coronavirus doesn't spread between the hours of 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Or maybe city officials don't want masked people out and about after dark.
OVM (with other campers ) was kicked out of the Laredo State Park Campground last week because its located inside Laredo city limits (City Mayor Orders ). He slept overnight at Walmart and left headed north the next morning..

sent from my Recliner..
 

muttly

Veteran Expediter
Would the country be better off if instead of a lockdown we would have tried as much as we could, to protect statistically the most vulnerable of catching this illness. I know you can be healthy and still become critical and even die from the virus.But statistically, generally healthy aren't at a great risk of dying. Couldn't we instead protect the elderly with protective measures in assisted living homes and other places. (Florida is doing great work in protecting the elderly in these homes) As well as those with medical conditions that would be at increased risk. Have them protected by have them stay at home and compensate them until this pandemic passes. The rest of the population could use best practices like social distancing, optional mask wearing, hand sanitizing, etc. allow business and people to go back to work. Most will eventually build up an immunity to the virus with daily interactions and either be asymptomatic or a low grade non life threatening sickness and create a herd immunity therefore protecting the most vulnerable until we get the vaccine in play. Just curious if this would have been better than closing businesses and upending people's livelihoods indefinitely.
 
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muttly

Veteran Expediter
New England Patriots send plane to China, get 1.2 million N95 masks for Massachusetts

Is that a US Military plane bringing in much needed supplies..?
They're reportedly sending 300K masks to NYC. Bravo to Robert Kraft ....

New England Patriots send plane to China, get 1.2 million N95 masks for Massachusetts: reports
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blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I got home last Thursday night. I went OOS for a few hours Friday morning to get a DOT Inspection on my van. Since then I have had only one load. It was an airfreight, 154 miles from MSP to a refinery. I did get a paid empty move back home. The freight was one pallet of masks.
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View attachment 19963View attachment 19962
You know you got tempted to hijack that load. J/K I once had air freight from O'Hare to somewhere in Ohio. The guy wasn't supposed to tell me what I was picking up, but he told me it was 14 million dollars worth of Pramipexol. I was scared to even stop to go to the bathroom. I thought people were following me. Moving face masks, gloves, or even TP is a dangerous task these days. lol
 
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