Comment by arminiusreturns | Hacker News Reader

Comment by arminiusreturns | Hacker News Reader

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arminiusreturns

I just want to point out all the people who say "It's about protecting others, not yourself" or some variation are part of the problem! That can be said about the random diy cloth masks, but for everything else:

The science of masks hasn't changed...

N95 – Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil.

Surgical N95 – A NIOSH-approved N95 respirator that has also been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a surgical mask.

N99 – Filters at least 99% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil.

N100 – Filters at least 99.97% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil.

R95 – Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Somewhat resistant to oil.

P95 – Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil.

P99 – Filters at least 99% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil.

P100 – Filters at least 99.97% of airborne particles. Strongly resistant to oil.

I've been wearing a p100 respirator that makes a good seal to protect myself, and been changing out a small piece of cloth on the out-valve to protect others. Please, stop perpetuating the myth that masks don't protect you. Of note is that while many of the higher rated masks tend to be tested at .3 microns, this is often a buffer and real world they tend to filter about .1... and the virus is said to be .12+ micron.

So if you can, I would suggest getting your hands on n100 or p100, preferable use an oximeter to make sure you have the physical fitness needed to force the air through, but if you are doing very small timeframe adventures this becomes less of an issue. Something that makes a good seal is ideal. Guys, you should heavily consider shaving. There is a reason in the military NBC training they started requiring with only a few exceptions, shaves... and no, the military gas masks will not work for this application unless you get the specific filters for this application (if you do, they would be great since they integrate the eyepro), which have a much wider ranger to select from than the above I reference...

note: it is also very important to verify you haven't been sold a fake product

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part...

I think that the whole "masks don't protect you they protect others" spiel was designed to save face, because authorities were adamant about masks not working until March. Of course they protect the wearer....otherwise healthcare workers wouldn't use them.

I'm pretty sure health care workers wear them primarily to protect others. This is what my health care worker friends have told me (long before covid). Sneezing on someone mid surgery would be pretty bad for the patient, not really for the surgeon.

I think the reason people say it's more for others than yourself is because it's actual pretty rare to catch a disease by breathing it in. Much more often you catch it when it gets on your fingers and then you touch your eyes/nose/mouth. I think that's still at least partially true with covid.

Properly fit N95+ masks definitely protect the wearer, but in clinical settings are also combined with measures like a faceshield (which reduces droplet exposure to the eyes specifically, and reduces possible viral load on the face generally).

Conversely: pretty much all masks (though ones with an exhalation valve will reduce the effectiveness) will reduce the spread of droplets and thus virus from exhalation and talking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYJvU81DKgk

Airflow follows the path of least resistance. Air and the particles in it will go around the edges of the mask where there is zero resistance.

Even this is an improvement. After flowing around the edge it is moving at a lower speed and so particles will travel a smaller distance.

It also means the droplets are mostly separating back out onto your skin, and also are not being directly blown into everyone elses face.

We're talking personal protection at the moment. It's clear it's tops droplets from affecting other people. But it provides zero personal protection.

Not jf the pressure is ever so slightly increased.

Proper masks seal tightly to your face, there is no edge to go around.

Have you ever used an n95 mask? They have a rubber band but that's it. I've always gotten stuff inside my mask any time I've used it for painting or carpentry.

Quite often, at least back when they were available for industrial use. I prefer to use non-disposable p100 masks with a silicone seal. The seal leaves a red mark on your face after a few hours but it’s worth it to not inspirate hazardous materials if your mask gets bumped.

That said, N95 masks can work fine if you fit them properly, which may involve shaving any facial hair outside of a mustache, shortening the rubber straps, or adjusting the metal nose bracket.

It’s worth noting that an n95 mask doesn’t really provide vapor protection so it may not do too much for you while you’re painting but if you’re getting wood dust inside then your mask was either improperly fitted or it’s the wrong size for your face.

No they can't.

Do you mean that n95 masks can't work fine? If so, I'm genuinely curious as to how they failed for you.

I've used them while working on-site at a coal mine, as long as you're using a genuine high quality n95 mask and have it properly fitted you can absolutely wear one for 4+ hours without the inside getting contaminated. It's certainly not fun but I've done it many times without issues.

Note that facial hair can prevent that.

Where did you purchase N100 or P100 masks from?

I happened to already have two masks and quite a few filters in stock from a painting project before all this started... home depot or lowes I think. They are probably hard to come by, but maybe not because I don't see many people wearing them. I got weird looks at first, and heard people making fun of me quietly, but that mostly stopped the longer this all went on.

But the WHO said masks don't protect you? Who am I to believe, the World Health Organization, or some commenter on the internet? Just trust the health experts dude and stop being such a science denier. /s

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