How to use a mask, availability

[thestandard]

I have some N95 masks, as I believe they are sufficient. But how long can I use them?  No instructions included with the masks how to use them. 

 

Furthermore,  are masks easily available in Bangkok now, or are they sold out? 

 

What about masks for small children,  do they exist?  If not, what do they use instead,?

[Kinnock]

Are you wanting to wear masks to protect against the pollution or for Novel coronavirus, or both?

 

N95 is a standard for dust - and a properly fitted N95 mask will help with the pollution. Typically needs changing every few days, depending on use.  You need one that seals well around the nose.

 

For virus use - the purpose of the mask is to protect other people from an infected peron's coughs and sneezes - but they provide very limited protection to the wearer.  Plus the chance of infection may increase due to the face touching when you change your mask.  For real virus protection you need a full face mask, or a mask plus goggles - but you'd look like a total plonker.

 

Surgical masks are in short supply, general anti-pollution masks are easily available for adults and kids.

 

[thestandard]

4 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Are you wanting to wear masks to protect against the pollution or for Novel coronavirus, or both?

 

N95 is a standard for dust - and a properly fitted N95 mask will help with the pollution. Typically needs changing every few days, depending on use.  You need one that seals well around the nose.

 

For virus use - the purpose of the mask is to protect other people from an infected peron's coughs and sneezes - but they provide very limited protection to the wearer.  Plus the chance of infection may increase due to the face touching when you change your mask.  For real virus protection you need a full face mask, or a mask plus goggles - but you'd look like a total plonker.

 

Surgical masks are in short supply, general anti-pollution masks are easily available for adults and kids.

 

I will wear the mask maimly for virus protection.

 

I assume the surgical and anti-pollution mask are equally as bad virus protection,  or is the anti-pollutiion mask a little less bad? I mean a surgical mask is obviosuly mainly to protect someome else, and a pollution is to protect the one using the mask

[Kinnock]

8 hours ago, thestandard said:

I will wear the mask maimly for virus protection.

 

I assume the surgical and anti-pollution mask are equally as bad virus protection,  or is the anti-pollutiion mask a little less bad? I mean a surgical mask is obviosuly mainly to protect someome else, and a pollution is to protect the one using the mask

A paper surgical mask will give very little protection for the wearer.  It's really just a sneeze or spit guard to protect other people.

 

A tight fitting N95 or pm2.5 anti pollution mask will help a little.  N95 means filters 95% of 0.3 micron dust.  Virus are around 0.1 microns, but they don't fly around by themselves, they hitch a ride in droplets, and these are bigger so the anti-pollution mask can help.

 

But then the mask itself gets contaminated, so you need to change it, and wash hands after handling it.

 

And your eyes are not protected by the mask, so the virus can enter that way.

 

So a well fitted N95 mask can help, but it's not possible to say how much benefit it gives.

 

Washing hands and not touching mouth and eyes much more important - and wearing any mask helps you to not touch your mouth.  Keeping away from other people also helps, but not possible in an airport or on a plane, so perhaps use the mask then to help filter out any droplet infection.  

 

But it's not as easy to catch as say, measles or chicken pox, and not as serious as SARS or MERS, so no need to worry too much.

 

 

[runamok27]

There are some really good youtube videos on how to put the mask on and take it off and improve the seal to your face. Nobody would intuitively put on and take off their mask like they demonstrate, so watching them do it properly is necessary. Nobody seems to know for sure how effective N95 masks are but when you see healthcare workers around these sick patients they are all wearing N95 masks. I would guess good N95 masks will be difficult to get in Thailand. They are sold out in most places here in the United States. Social media has really ratcheted up the fear for a flu that, for all appearances, looks a lot like the regular flu.

[daveAustin]

Ain't gonna make a difference unless, as above, your eyes are covered. Probably worth wearing however to help convince your brain you're doing the right thing and to fit in with everyone else. 

[daveAustin]

On 2/4/2020 at 5:51 PM, Kinnock said:

For real virus protection you need a full face mask, or a mask plus goggles - but you'd look like a total plonker.

????

I've got the full face double-filter jobbie as my work is with chemicals, but won't be wearing it for fear of being executed at airport by anti-terrorist cops. 

[Thian]

They are sold out in BKK, we stay home now.

[elgenon]

I find the N95 uncomfortable. And if it really doesn't work....

[Jingthing]

If infection rates accelerate here expect that like in China there will be a lot of social pressure to wear mostly the surgical masks. They provide almost no protection from getting the virus but they are good to block the spray of the wearers which is a good thing if they happen to be infected.

Its not a bad idea to buy a stock if you can locate them even though I question the wisdom of wearing them now unless you have suspicious symptoms in order to protect others. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Jingthing

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:32 AM, daveAustin said:

Ain't gonna make a difference unless, as above, your eyes are covered. Probably worth wearing however to help convince your brain you're doing the right thing and to fit in with everyone else. 

 

It's true your eyes can be an entry point for airborne virus material. But it's also true that breathing in thru your mouth and nose is going to be a greater area/volume for potential airborne exposure, unless protected by a mask. A person can also wear glasses (I'm not to the goggles point yet) to help protect their eyes.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 2/5/2020 at 12:17 AM, thestandard said:

I have some N95 masks, as I believe they are sufficient. But how long can I use them?  No instructions included with the masks how to use them. 

 

Furthermore,  are masks easily available in Bangkok now, or are they sold out? 

 

What about masks for small children,  do they exist?  If not, what do they use instead,?

 

1. Lifespan of N95 masks really depends on their type and environment of use. You don't want to wear a dirty mask or one that's gotten grimy and sweaty. You want to regularly wash your hands with soap or an alcohol gel, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouse. You also want to avoid touching the outside surface of a used mask, and instead take it off or put it on via the straps. In general public use, they can be re-used, but only to a certain extent. I've seen 8 hours of cumulative wear time as one recommendation.

 

2. AFAIK, N95 masks are virtually impossible to find right now thru legitimate retailers in BKK. The government's announced plans yesterday for upcoming mask sales were only for paper drugstore masks, not N95 ones.

 

3. 3M does make several models of its N95 masks with smaller sizes for children. I believe they typically follow their 4 digit model number with an S designation, which I presume means "small". One of those I know is the VFlex 9105S...  But those are probably even harder to find right now than the regular adult kinds.

 

 

 

 

 

[fhickson]

 

On 2/7/2020 at 2:09 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

It's true your eyes can be an entry point for airborne virus material. But it's also true that breathing in thru your mouth and nose is going to be a greater area/volume for potential airborne exposure, unless protected by a mask. A person can also wear glasses (I'm not to the goggles point yet) to help protect their eyes.

 

i think thats correct. not a doctor, but less exposure = less risk to me.

 

seems pretty obvious, you could get a cough from that passenger next to you, droplets could only reach your mouth and not your eyes. if your not wearing a mask because of potential eye spray your at risk.

[thestandard]

On 2/7/2020 at 8:17 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

1. Lifespan of N95 masks really depends on their type and environment of use. You don't want to wear a dirty mask or one that's gotten grimy and sweaty. You want to regularly wash your hands with soap or an alcohol gel, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouse. You also want to avoid touching the outside surface of a used mask, and instead take it off or put it on via the straps. In general public use, they can be re-used, but only to a certain extent. I've seen 8 hours of cumulative wear time as one recommendation.

 

2. AFAIK, N95 masks are virtually impossible to find right now thru legitimate retailers in BKK. The government's announced plans yesterday for upcoming mask sales were only for paper drugstore masks, not N95 ones.

 

3. 3M does make several models of its N95 masks with smaller sizes for children. I believe they typically follow their 4 digit model number with an S designation, which I presume means "small". One of those I know is the VFlex 9105S...  But those are probably even harder to find right now than the regular adult kinds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a few N95, but if they can be used only for a few hours, I need loads of them to cover the whole stay.

 

On 2/7/2020 at 7:56 AM, Jingthing said:

If infection rates accelerate here expect that like in China there will be a lot of social pressure to wear mostly the surgical masks. They provide almost no protection from getting the virus but they are good to block the spray of the wearers which is a good thing if they happen to be infected.

Its not a bad idea to buy a stock if you can locate them even though I question the wisdom of wearing them now unless you have suspicious symptoms in order to protect others. 

 

Surgical masks will provide protection indirectly, as a person who is infected, will limit the risk of infecting others.

 

On 2/5/2020 at 4:36 PM, runamok27 said:

There are some really good youtube videos on how to put the mask on and take it off and improve the seal to your face. Nobody would intuitively put on and take off their mask like they demonstrate, so watching them do it properly is necessary. Nobody seems to know for sure how effective N95 masks are but when you see healthcare workers around these sick patients they are all wearing N95 masks. I would guess good N95 masks will be difficult to get in Thailand. They are sold out in most places here in the United States. Social media has really ratcheted up the fear for a flu that, for all appearances, looks a lot like the regular flu.

You have any good links?

 

 

On 2/5/2020 at 8:32 AM, Kinnock said:

A paper surgical mask will give very little protection for the wearer.  It's really just a sneeze or spit guard to protect other people.

 

A tight fitting N95 or pm2.5 anti pollution mask will help a little.  N95 means filters 95% of 0.3 micron dust.  Virus are around 0.1 microns, but they don't fly around by themselves, they hitch a ride in droplets, and these are bigger so the anti-pollution mask can help.

 

But then the mask itself gets contaminated, so you need to change it, and wash hands after handling it.

 

And your eyes are not protected by the mask, so the virus can enter that way.

 

So a well fitted N95 mask can help, but it's not possible to say how much benefit it gives.

 

Washing hands and not touching mouth and eyes much more important - and wearing any mask helps you to not touch your mouth.  Keeping away from other people also helps, but not possible in an airport or on a plane, so perhaps use the mask then to help filter out any droplet infection.  

 

But it's not as easy to catch as say, measles or chicken pox, and not as serious as SARS or MERS, so no need to worry too much.

 

 

 

Just need to be careful I guess.

 

 

[Toosetinmyways]

This is what you need.

 

[thasoss]

scientists have said masks are n't really much protection,but as other's have said "better than nothing"..one scientist has said he's had success in trials when mixing salt and water together and wiping it on the mask,apparently the virus sticks to the mixture and cant pass through the mask...but everyday you'd have to repeat this task with a new mask.