Double up your masks

Posted by Merry, Alumni Mentor @merpreb, Jan 29, 2021

Good morning everyone. Do you remember back a year ago when we were all humming and complaining about having to wear masks? Well, authorities are now asking us to double up, especially if since N95 masks are unavailable. Some news is confusing because Dr. Fauci walked back support for this after the CDC didn't come right out and promote this. However, he did say that it made sense to wear two.

I know that a lot of us have made tons of cotton masks. To double mask, you place the surgical mask on first and then your cloth one on next. Then adjust the masks to your face. This is supposed to equal the N95 mask in protection. This is to help protect us and others from contracting the new variants.

As always please continue to get vaccinated, maintain social distancing, and wash your hands frequently. Any indoor activity with more than your live-in family is frowned upon. As everyone can see this virus and its variants are in the business of surviving for as long as they can so we need all the protection that we can get and protect others.

health information from CDC at http://www.coronavirus.gov

latest research information from NIH at https://www.covid19.nih.gov.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

ess77 - Elizabeth | @ess77 | Jan 30, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "@merpreb My husband found these at a hardware store. It fits very tightly and I put..." + (show)

Thank you, Becky @becsbuddy. I just finished the message below and saw yours....placed an order! They're on the way. I bet you they'll soon be out! Aren't you a doll!
Blessings.
elizabeth

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 31, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "@merpreb My husband found these at a hardware store. It fits very tightly and I put..." + (show)

Hi Becky! This is might be for carpentry uses. Just make sure that there if people are going to buy N95 masks from a hardware store or similar, they make sure there is no "valve" in them because many stores do put them on display as "N95 Masks in stock now". Check to make sure that they say NIOSH approved because MANY of the N95 and KN95 masks for sale right now are not. This means either no testing was done, or worse yet, they failed I believe. The 3M 142-8210 plus N95 is for diseases. I'm not sure if the carpentry mask will work, despite the fact that it traps fine particles. Sanding and human droplets may need 2 different filters.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Jan 31, 2021

When this stuff first started I finally found a fairly comfortable mask which had multiple cloth layers with a pocket inside for a PM 2.5 carbon filter. The pocket has also allowed me to insert a mask frame to help with the breathing by keeping the pressure off of my mouth and nose for easier breathing.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 31, 2021

In reply to @becsbuddy "@merpreb My husband found these at a hardware store. It fits very tightly and I put..." + (show)

Becky - Tell your husband "Good Find!" Thank you for the image. It shows exactly what I was talking about yesterday - this mask is made correctly, with the straps "welded" to the flange so they don't pierce the protective layers. I looked it up and it is NIOSH approved and meets FDA surgical respirator standards - see my remark below.

All N95 masks are all made to the same standard. The difference between "industrial" respirators and medical ones is the breathing valve in most industrial masks, making them easier to breathe in. Unfortunately, the valve can let infectious droplets out. NIOSH approval is the key - it means more than one sample has been tested by an independent lab and complies with the standards.

HOW TO TELL IF AN SPECIFIC N95 MASK IS NIOSH APPROVED:
Here is a link to a list of NIOSH approved masks: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/N95list1sect2-m.html
The list is very long, but at the bottom of the first page is an alphabet so you can skip to what you want. Pay attention to the exact model number.

Sue
PS I hate wearing N95 masks without a valve, but I do it. I use the valved ones in the yard and around dust.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 31, 2021

In reply to @ess77 "Thank you, Becky @becsbuddy. I just finished the message below and saw yours....placed an order! They're..." + (show)

@ess77- Have you read my post below and @sueinmn ?

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @hopeful33250 "@mayofeb2020 My reaction or side-effect was not one that was listed so it was probably unique..." + (show)

@hopeful33250, Teresa, Thanks for sharing your "Shingles like" side effect following your Covid vaccine. Glad your neurologist offered an explanation that makes sense and even happier that your symptoms didn't linger longer or grow worse.

A good friend also got the Moderna vacc and sent me a photo of what is now being reported as "Covid Arm". Her pic looked almost identical to a photo in a news article describing it. A round, red slightly bumpy patch, circling around the injection site and hers also had a small knot. A call to her doc reassured her that while it doesn't occur often, it just meant that the vaccine was working and that it revealed she had a strong immune system. Hers lasted a couple of days and the discomfort was mild.

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @ess77 "Thank you, Becky @becsbuddy. I just finished the message below and saw yours....placed an order! They're..." + (show)

@ess77, I just checked Amazon for the N95 @becsbuddy, Becky shared. They had packs of 40 and found same Makerite brand of 20 but no cost listed and couldn't add the smaller pkg to my order page. Did you order yours from Amazon or another supplier?

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @fiesty76 "@ess77, I just checked Amazon for the N95 @becsbuddy, Becky shared. They had packs of 40..." + (show)

@fiesty76 Here's some that I ordered awhile back that were reasonably priced - $14.95 for 5 masks with free shipping from the same folks where I purchased my cordless snow shovel that is amazing. 😊
https://www.snowjoe.com/products/kn95-protective-face-mask-ce-certified-gb2626-standard-5-pack

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @johnbishop "@fiesty76 Here's some that I ordered awhile back that were reasonably priced - $14.95 for 5..." + (show)

@johnbishop- Good morning. Do you double up your masks? I didn't see that these were FDA approved.

John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Feb 1, 2021

In reply to @merpreb "@johnbishop- Good morning. Do you double up your masks? I didn't see that these were FDA..." + (show)

@merpreb, Morning Merry - Nope, I wear one mask but it has 4 layers and a pocket for a PM 2.5 carbon filter similar to this one but I can't remember if this is where I got mine - https://www.reusablefc.com/collections/all/products/reusable-face-cover.

My neighbor who worked in healthcare on cardiology equipment as a tech moved in the fall and he was still having supplies autoshipped to his old address. The new people gave me a package for him and I saw that it was from a medical supply company and texted him to send me his new address but he said it's just some N95 masks so you can keep it. I gave some to my son-in-law but kept the rest as back up but unfortunate for me, I hate the bands over the head worse than the ear loops...and these have the over the head bands.