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New Covid wave has begun and masks should be worn again, scientists warn
(www.independent.co.uk)
this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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Where does one get actually trustworthy N95s?
Today, any hardware store. The counterfeits were a bigger problem when demand spiked and manufacturing couldn't keep up. That being said, even a shitty counterfeit should block the spit droplets that the virus rides on.
Face masks are most effective at reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 when the infected persons wear them. They may reduce incidence of infection when donned by healthy persons, but they are much less effective at doing so versus the former case.
The N95 respirators one would likely find at a hardware store are not the proper masks. The 3M Cool Flow Valve Particulate Respirator 8511, for example, which I picked up recently at a hardware store, only filters the incoming air but not the outgoing air. The contagions flow straight out.
They were absolutely great for better tolerating the highly dusty environment that prompted me to purchase them. But I wouldn't trust them if contagions were the concern at hand.
If they are your only choice? Sure. But if you have a better option? Go for it. Help protect your neighbors.
I've made this comment elsewhere, but I do recommend wearing eye protection.
Also, the N95 and KN95 designators doesn't specify if there's a vent valve or not. Just get the ones without one. Any mask will still catch spit from coughs. If you're in a space that gets saturated, the room has ventilation issues and masks are unlikely to do much anyway. CO2 monitors can indirectly measure the saturated level. It's unhealthly to be in spaces like that, covid or not.