Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Arizona > Phoenix area
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 07-11-2020, 06:19 PM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
You can get KN95s for way cheaper. I think they’re effectively the same.
re: the N95 topic. They all filter out 95% of 0.3 microns. A micron is a millionth of a meter in size so these masks filter of 1/3 that size. Impressive!

What's more important is how well it fits. Because some N95 masks simply don't work for some people's face (think bone structure and size). It is common for brands to have leaks from not sealing on your face. i.e. you are breathing in every size particle around the edges. Obviously, less of them because the filter is still better than something like a surgical mask or especially a bandana. But in order for the mask to do its job and basically protect you near perfection, it needs to fit well.

What happens in the medical field is the have a qualitative fit test. Basically, the test emits chemicals and you see if you can taste or smell the item. It's a pass/fail method and they don't actually measure the magnitude of leakage or a "quantitative test". The test relies on people's sense of taste or smell. So you are "blessed off" on a brand that fits you.

Because of the N95 mask shortage, our daughter has done a bunch of tests and has tried many brands. In her subjective opinion, the 3M masks (if they fit you well) crush the other brand's comfort level. I personally have a few and they are the bomb. I'm convinced I could easily make it through a 3-hour flight with ease.

So if you are able to get some 3M masks, they are worth the premium. Also, don't buy the 3 ply surgical masks. They will not pass air very well. So shy of stopping large spit particles, they re-route the air around the mask. I bought some and send them back after trying out one. Yea, the reviews were good. But the 800 people who gave them a positive review and no idea that they were semi-worthless. They only judged them by their looks, comfort, and the fact that they had 3 plies. But the reality is you can barely breathe through them. I'll take a bandana over those masks.

My point is you cannot trust someone to know if they have a decent mask. So you should invest in a quality mask that fits well. I've been taking our daughters N95's that she discards,

Last edited by MN-Born-n-Raised; 07-11-2020 at 06:30 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-11-2020, 06:31 PM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,666,532 times
Reputation: 11328
^great info, thanks. Any comment on NIOSH N95s vs. the easier to find and cheaper KN95s?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-11-2020, 06:37 PM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510
Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
^great info, thanks. Any comment on NIOSH N95s vs. the easier to find and cheaper KN95s?
I got some from her and I will stare at them in a moment. I'm not sure what brands they are. Also, she was able to order me up some (unfortunately, not 3M). She inherited my head (lol) so I hope they pass the leak test. I would pay a small fortune for a dozen of those 3M masks. They really are the bomb! I treat them like gold!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-11-2020, 06:42 PM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510
I'm going to try and do an at-home qualitative test on the masks I get. OSHA has qualified 4 items to use. One of which is saccharin. Easy!

Per google (which boosts by IQ all the way up to 100), "the fit-test solution is prepared by adding 83 grams of sodium saccharin to 100 ml of warm water. The test subject shall breathe through the slightly open mouth with tongue extended, and report if he/she tastes the sweet taste of saccharin."
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-11-2020, 06:54 PM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510
It seems there are a bunch of 3M N95 masks. Here is the one I LOVE https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...4348458&rt=rud There is foam around the edges for comfort and it makes a great seal.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-11-2020, 09:31 PM
 
4,624 posts, read 9,289,109 times
Reputation: 4983
Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
[post deleted at poster's request]
There must have been a restriction that was lifted allowing the general public to purchase these now. I have the 3M tyvek N95's but not the one MN posted and it seems to be a snug fit.

Last edited by VTsnowbird; 07-13-2020 at 01:33 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-12-2020, 06:51 AM
 
30,205 posts, read 11,863,986 times
Reputation: 18708
Quote:
Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised View Post
It seems there are a bunch of 3M N95 masks. Here is the one I LOVE https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-...4348458&rt=rud There is foam around the edges for comfort and it makes a great seal.

What is the timeframe of actually getting them shipped to you? I have seen masks for sale that have a delivery window 2 months out.

Last edited by Oklazona Bound; 07-12-2020 at 07:01 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-12-2020, 10:37 AM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sno0909 View Post
Genuinely curious - is something like this necessary for most of us? I understand for people who are constantly around others; but for your average person who is maybe running up to the grocery store or heading into Home Depot, is it worth the cost?
It's all about mitigating risks. If the person who has the virus wears a mask, it knocks down the spit (MUCH less loading). 2xx docs penned a note to WHO asking them to publish that airborne COVID matters too (read https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02058-1 .

Again, this is all about the total load. The load happens quickly by way of spit (talking, singing, chewing, exercising, yelling) in close proximity (hence the 6' rule). But the doctors who penned a note to WHO wanted them to say, you are NOT safe just because everyone is wearing a homemade mask. That is because it's airborne and may "float" in the air for a while. Again, it's all about the total load and no one really knows the threshold. So hanging out with homemade masks on in a closed-in room for longer durations still offer plenty of risks. Realize the mask rules are really about dropping the infection rate below 1.0. When that is accomplished, the total transmission is factually reduced as a whole. It has nothing to do with keeping you safe; rather safer.

Hence, if someone wears a N95 properly fitted mask who is COVID free, we are talking about 95% of sub-micron particles that the non-COVID person filters out. Or putting it another way, I have pulmonologist, ICU and ER docs who work with COVID day-in, and day-out. And the ones I know have not caught it yet (and some are scared to death, literally, to bring it home). So in conclusion, an N95 mask that fits you will take nearly all of the guesswork out this. I've studied the topic to death, trying to get my head wrapped around how, when, where, and why. It's why I am doing what I'm doing. YMMV.

Last edited by MN-Born-n-Raised; 07-12-2020 at 10:46 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-12-2020, 10:40 AM
 
9,807 posts, read 11,200,038 times
Reputation: 8510
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oklazona Bound View Post
What is the timeframe of actually getting them shipped to you? I have seen masks for sale that have a delivery window 2 months out.
The link that Detroit showed was from Singapore. So don't hold your breath (pun intended). Other brews are in stock. But I don't know when they would actually ship. Our dentist daughter order some non-3M brews that fit her face. But to order those, you need to be in healthcare. I asked if she could spare a dozen. In the meantime, I will use her old ones and really limit my runs outside of our house.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-12-2020, 10:51 AM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,666,532 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised View Post
The link that Detroit showed was from Singapore. So don't hold your breath (pun intended). Other brews are in stock. But I don't know when they would actually ship. Our dentist daughter order some non-3M brews that fit her face. But to order those, you need to be in healthcare. I asked if she could spare a dozen. In the meantime, I will use her old ones and really limit my runs outside of our house.
Not the N95s from the link above, but KN95s are readily available and ship quickly. I got some in three days I think.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Arizona > Phoenix area

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top