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The kind of surgical masks you typically see are pretty much completely ineffective, if you want something that actually protects you and others you need to get the N95 like this:
Also people are choosing not to buy N95 masks because right now there is not enough of those even for health care workers who need them the most because they are most at risk.
It's my understanding the N95 have a valve to release your breath so they protect you, but not others. The surgical masks don't have that.
An N95 mask is basically a thicker mask made out of more sturdy materials that filtrate a lot better. You are actually supposed to have a new N95 fit tested to your face annually if you work in a hospital. I imagine that is out the window now with COVID-19.
Bottom line is when you wear an N95 mask it takes a lot more effort to breath than with a surgical mask. That is the price of having a mask that can filtrate viral particles. But it would be suffocating to wear one all day long working at a fast tempo. The seal on an N95 doesn't allow air in or out very easily. You can't really breath directly on somebody while wearing an N95, I'm not aware of any valve on the standard N95.
It would be tough to wear an N95 around town. It sucked wearing one in hospitals (literally), much less while running around a wallmart.
Last edited by eddie gein; 04-03-2020 at 01:47 AM..
The kind of surgical masks you typically see are pretty much completely ineffective, if you want something that actually protects you and others you need to get the N95 like this:
I'm not sure why you think they are completely ineffective. They are partially effective. They can still block large droplets - often those associated with speaking. Smaller droplets that are associated with sneezing and coughing will need an n95 mask... and even then, are not 100% effective.
An N95 mask is basically a thicker mask made out of more sturdy materials that filtrate a lot better. You are actually supposed to have a new N95 fit tested to your face annually if you work in a hospital. I imagine that is out the window now with COVID-19.
Bottom line is when you wear an N95 mask it takes a lot more effort to breath than with a surgical mask. That is the price of having a mask that can filtrate viral particles. But it would be suffocating to wear one all day long working at a fast tempo.
N95 does not filter out this virus (at least most of the time in theory, and independent of an aerosolized medium). The openings are too large. N95 filters are only designed to be 95% efficient at preventing passage of a 0.3 micron particle.
Coronavirus measures about 0.125 micron.
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