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face masks
Thursday, April 9th, 2020 02:22 amI had some unused N95 face masks from some years ago when I was working on cutting grooves in concrete. 6 with exhale valves, and 2 without. I gave one mask to my mom a few weeks ago when she was looking for one. I thought Qiao or I could use some of the others if either of us got sick.
When I heard N95 masks were becoming scarce, I considered donating them. But I didn't find any clear info on how to do so, and wasn't sure a hospital would care to get such a few number. Other places have been donating thousands at a time. I also wasn't sure the ones with valves would be appropriate for a medical setting, though later I read they may be preferred for certain work. I ended up asking Qiao if he wanted to ask if his doctor's office wanted them. Which he did and dropped them off there.
I don't look forward to wearing a mask myself. I'm skeptical as to how helpful it would be, as they have to be fitted snug against the skin to be effective in filtering particles. Otherwise you mostly breathe air in and out through the gaps around the edges of the mask, especially around the nose. Even with the bendable metal nose strips, I remember my protective glasses fogging up from my breath when I used them before... But that happens when I'm sweating, even without wearing a mask ... now I'm not sure.
Even medical personnel have problems wearing masks:
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/trouble-breathing-in-surgical-masks.742226/
But I'll probably need something to cover my face with eventually.
If I cover my mouth & nose with a piece of cloth, my breath makes a fairly noticeable unpleasant sound, and it is hard to breath (through either nose or mouth), and it doesn't smell good. I don't think I could do that for long; it would have to be on loose with gaps around the edges. Wearing one loosely is probably still somewhat helpful at least, against bigger droplets traveling straight towards your face, or for any you might be expelling.
I've read about a lot of people sewing their own masks. It occurred to me that maybe people are selling them on Etsy too. Yep.
By the way, if you do have an N95 mask, don't try washing it, as supposedly that reduces its effectiveness much more than not washing it. The masks rely on static charge to remove a lot of small particles, and washing removes that charge. Even dipping a mask in alcohol can reduce its effectiveness, according to this page:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/washing-masks-effective-virus/
There are other interesting things you can find searching on that topic.
When I heard N95 masks were becoming scarce, I considered donating them. But I didn't find any clear info on how to do so, and wasn't sure a hospital would care to get such a few number. Other places have been donating thousands at a time. I also wasn't sure the ones with valves would be appropriate for a medical setting, though later I read they may be preferred for certain work. I ended up asking Qiao if he wanted to ask if his doctor's office wanted them. Which he did and dropped them off there.
I don't look forward to wearing a mask myself. I'm skeptical as to how helpful it would be, as they have to be fitted snug against the skin to be effective in filtering particles. Otherwise you mostly breathe air in and out through the gaps around the edges of the mask, especially around the nose. Even with the bendable metal nose strips, I remember my protective glasses fogging up from my breath when I used them before... But that happens when I'm sweating, even without wearing a mask ... now I'm not sure.
Even medical personnel have problems wearing masks:
https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/trouble-breathing-in-surgical-masks.742226/
But I'll probably need something to cover my face with eventually.
If I cover my mouth & nose with a piece of cloth, my breath makes a fairly noticeable unpleasant sound, and it is hard to breath (through either nose or mouth), and it doesn't smell good. I don't think I could do that for long; it would have to be on loose with gaps around the edges. Wearing one loosely is probably still somewhat helpful at least, against bigger droplets traveling straight towards your face, or for any you might be expelling.
I've read about a lot of people sewing their own masks. It occurred to me that maybe people are selling them on Etsy too. Yep.
By the way, if you do have an N95 mask, don't try washing it, as supposedly that reduces its effectiveness much more than not washing it. The masks rely on static charge to remove a lot of small particles, and washing removes that charge. Even dipping a mask in alcohol can reduce its effectiveness, according to this page:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/washing-masks-effective-virus/
There are other interesting things you can find searching on that topic.