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Comment by jaclaz | Hacker News Reader

JFYI, the N95 masks are NOT intended for the average person anyway. (in EU they are called FFP2/FFP3)

They need face fitting and some basic usage instructions.

If not correctly fitted they won't be effective, as air (like in more common "surgical" masks) will enter (and exit) from the sides.

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These masks are fairly standard consumer use in the UK for various DIY activities in the home and supplied by hardware stores as such. Note P3/FFP3 are higher standards than N95.

They are just fine if the idea is to protect oneself from dust, but here we are talking of protecting from a virus (and to protect others, so valved masks are not suitable).

Rough correspondence:

FFP2 is 94%

N95 is 95%

FFP3 is 99%

Source (an UK firm):

http://www.ashsafety.com/tips/filterClass.htm

> Finding a suitable respirator is not just a matter of choosing a model you like or by the cost of it. You may need to try different makes or sizes to find one that fits without leaking around the seal and letting dust in. A respirator that depends on face fit is ineffectual if you have a beard or thick beard stubble. The only way you can know if the seal is good enough is by having a proper respirator fit test. At present this is also the only way of meeting legal requirements.

And here is (again UK firm) how a fitting test works:

https://www.xamax.co.uk/blog/how-to-respirator-face-fit-test...

They still help, but they help less when not used correctly. The average person likely won't use them correctly. This makes it a waste to give average people these masks when there's a shortage.

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