#n95 masks

[feminist-space]

World Health Organization

MEDIA ADVISORY

NEW: COVID19 variant of interest JN.1

Geneva, 19 December 2023 -- Due to its rapidly increasing spread, WHO is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOl) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOl as part of BA.2.86 sublineages.

WHO advises people to take measures to prevent infections and severe disease using all available tools. These include:

-Wear a mask when in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas, and keep a safe distance from others, as feasible

-Improve ventilation

-Practise respiratory etiquette - covering coughs and sneezes

-Clean your hands regularly

-Stay up to date with vaccinations against COVID-19 and influenza, especially if you are at high risk for severe disease

-Stay home if you are sick

-Get tested if you have symptoms, or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza

For health workers and health facilities, WHO advises:

-Universal masking in health facilities, as well as appropriate masking, respirators and other PPE for health workers caring for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients.

-Improve ventilation in health facilities

Image also has alt text embedded.

[jenroses]

Hey! Please feel free to ignore but you did say to ask you about masks :P the ones I've found that are multiple layers for max protection are really stiff, which squishes my face and leads to gaps. Do you have recommendations? Thanks!

I know that there's a lot of noise about elastomeric masks but for me they're a nonstarter because of the stiffness you talk about. I think it's important to understand that most of the 94-95 standard masks that actually meet that standard are going to be plenty good enough where most people are concerned. Is it possible to catch Covid with a mask on? Yes. I've done it.

Is it likely? No. I'm immune compromised. This isn't data, but our experience has been that a combination of masks, reasonable common sense and good filtration are enough that despite having a school-aged child, a husband who travels for conventions, and me, immune suppressed, with a college student living in our house, I have only had covid twice, the first time was an unfortunate collision of me going to a store at the wrong time where a clerk had both covid and the flu and gave them to me, and the other one involved a family member not using a mask at a public event while eating. Even then, when I caught covid and the flu at the same time and isolated immediately with filtration and everyone coming into my space being masked... not one other person in our house caught it, and when someone else caught it a year later, the only people who caught it were sharing sleeping spaces. Our roommates did not catch it, and everyone was masking from the moment of the first positive test. When my kid got half-assed about masking at school, he immediately got flu and strep at the same time. I pointed out that his lack of care about it could mean a lot of missed school for him and serious health impacts for both of us, and he started wearing a mask again, and did not get sick for the rest of the school year. He HATES the masks that go behind the head and wears Armbrust kn95 masks exclusively (dark blue, lol) And it's pretty clear that without the masks he was getting sick a lot and with he just...doesn't. He is wearing them all day except for lunch through full school days, so that says something. Armbrust will send little behind the head doohickies to keep them off the ears but he never uses them. At $2ish per mask they're not the cheapest but he uses one mask for multiple days so it's not too bad overall cost wise. They have kid sizing, but he's in the regular adult size now at 11. Now, I'll talk about Armbrust for a minute because I really like the company. On pretty much every mask they sell you'll see a video of one of their people reviewing the mask and going over testing data... but they ALSO have reviews of almost every other mask on the market, bad, good and in between, and if you find a mask on Amazon or something and want to know more about it, search the mask name and "armbrust" and the youtube video and product data page will pop up. I've found several special masks for very particular needs by looking through their database for combinations of breathability and shape that weren't even masks they sold. So if you are struggling, take a look at the database, eliminate "failed" masks, look for the ones that meet your needs and then watch the video to see what he says about them first. There are some VERY inexpensive masks out there that work very well, and some masks that are incredibly breathable or incredibly high filtration and a few unicorns that are both.

Now Hubby is okay with the same KN95 masks that our son likes but he exercises and his lungs get a little touchy sometimes so he needs maximum ease in breathing, so using that database I found Dr. Puri masks. Here's the Armbrust review. Here's the listing I found them on. Hubby LOVES them. He also prefers behind the ear. About $1.50 each.

I *hate* behind the ear with a hot hate, they bug me. But I can't just use one type of mask all the time because I have EDS and neck issues so pressure there can be awkward, plus I get short of breath sometimes anyway (history of pulmonary embolism that long predates covid) and I have sensory skin issues.

Bar none the most breathable mask I've ever tried, which also does not fog my glasses, is the Drager mask. These are soft, extraordinarily easy to breathe through, and have a unique strap that makes on/off very easy, and lets you pull the top strap and let it hang around your neck if needed. Unfortunately it has a VERY snug fit across the nose and leaves marks on my cheeks, or it would be perfect, but it's a good option, and possibly someone with a smaller face would have an easier time. These are possibly the best filtering and most breathable masks on the market, so for high risk situations this is the mask I would use. They filter 99.7% in testing. They're a little more expensive at about $1.25 per when I checked today. For a good intersection of fit and comfort, but a little less breathable, are the ACI N95 surgical respirator duckbills. These do not leave marks, don't fog much, good seal around the face, and the single most comfortable head strap I've ever seen. The fabric is very smooth, it is sensory good, but the breathability is not as high. It's not hard to breathe through, it's just not as easy as Drager or Dr. Puri. But... They could probably pass an N99 standard by Armbrust's testing, as they filter >99.4% of particulate, where the standard is 95%. These are also incredibly cheap. If you get their subscribe and save discount (you can do every 6 months) you can get 50 for $25, so 50 cents apiece.

All of these masks are pretty soft, easy to wear, and very good at what they do.

The TL:DR though.... The important thing is to find a mask that you will wear consistently and correctly every time you need it. A mask that hangs on your face and slips is not a good mask for you. A mask you hate so much you make excuses not to wear it is not a good mask for you. A mask that breaks easily or makes it hard to breathe so you end up taking it off is not a good mask. If what you have isn't working, there are LOTS of things that might.

Last Armbrust plug: THEY HAVE A SAMPLER PACK. You can buy a pack of a zillion different types and styles of mask and try a bunch! And order the one you like best! If you aren't sick, one sampler pack can be tried by the people in your household so everyone can figure out what works for them!

Also, I used to get sick very very often and now I just...don't. Not from contagious viruses, anyway. I don't understand why people are so cavalier about it. I've been sick less since 2020 than in any given six month period in my entire life. Despite being on immune suppressants.

[thatstormygeek]

Omg. That title is painfully accurate.

[willowreader]

Dame Sa  3.5%

@LongCovidHell

Sheep? Those who wear a mask are the total opposite! Despite mounting peer pressure, constant propaganda in the press, and government lies, we STILL stand up against forced mass infection of a SARS virus. Wearing a mask is an act of rebellion, not submission.

From Twitter (X) The only thing that is wrong with the picture is the man should be wearing a respirator (N95).

[captainpondlilly]

One of the things I really love about Dropout is when we see behind the scenes or the crew, because they show the crew and everyone else still masking (with kn95's!)

Ally also mentioned being able to get tests from dropout too.

I'm don't know a lot about the entertainment industry so I don't know how normal that is for other productions, but I see Dropout showing it when I don't see it from others.

[katherineeverything]

N95 and cosplay! It started life as a SubZero mask (I bought the STL from ClaUnererShop on Etsy, 3D printed it), but with a little Apoxy-Sculpt I have to say, I'm really proud of how it came out! I based it on the Advanced Biostabilizer mask from KOTOR and delighted in my "equip all the gear for the best stats" moment. +1 to saving throws while "preventing toxins from reaching the wearer" baby! The incredible Revan is DairyBoy117

[lifewithchronicpain]

Yeah, maybe no one is masking for the protections of other anymore, but at the very least you should have access to FREE high quality masks built to protect the wearer as much as it protects others around them.

You can't change people, only how you react to them. No one's wrong for complaining about the lack of concern for the more vulnerable to COVID 19 as it transitions for pandemic to endemic, but we also need to spread awareness of things we have now that can make difference.

These aren't hard to get anymore. It's not a perfect solution but I don't think enough people, at least in the US, know they can get it for free.

[g-l-o-w-y-l-i-g-h-t-s]

[otherbombdotcom]

One of the weirdest things have I seen happening over the course of this pandemic is the shift in narrative from a desire to not contract any illness, to it's just not that bad getting Covid-19 🥴. Like even if this wasn't a lie from the pit of hell, my mistake, I figured illness of any severity is unpleasant and to be avoided.

[inter-volve]

Source

January 3rd 2024

[post-human-oddity]

I want to find a cloth case that i can slip an n95 into so it has mask level protection but the skin comfort of soft fabric that can be washed, and so that i can sew some serious monster teeth into it without compromising safety

why is this such a hard product to find, i know if i had more energy i could sew it to be exactly what i want but i am so tired

does anyone happen to know of someone who makes this specific thing? especially if it’s a smaller business or a little punk calloused fingers basement stitcher kinda vibe

[feminist-space]

"Seminario cited the recent report, “Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses,” that shows that the number of respiratory illnesses in the private health care and social assistance sector increased from 145,300 in 2021 to 199,700 cases in 2022, an increase of 37.5 percent.

...

As an industrial hygienist, Seminario was extremely critical that there were no experts in respiratory protection on the committee nor did it include engineers who developed ventilation guidelines. She believes that the HICPAC committee members are likely so opposed to respirators “because once you are into recommending respiratory protection, with that comes a full respiratory protection program from OSHA,” with penalties for violations.

An epidemiologist and consultant, Michael Olesen, echoed this, believing the changes reflect “pressure to remove liability from hospitals.” He added, “I take a very clear position that we should be having respiratory protection mandates in all healthcare settings right now.”

...

Many patients who spoke at the HICPAC meetings said they had gotten Covid-19 when they went to the hospital and that the new policies were keeping them from getting care.

Given that, Dr. Art Caplan, professor of medical ethics at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, previously told me that dropping masking requirements in hospitals is “utterly, completely, irresponsible.” Similarly, staff refusing to mask, even when a patient requests it, is a moral failure. “The first principle is, you must do what is in the best interest of your patient,” he said.

...

Several people were asked why they believe HICPAC is determined to water down protections. Consistently, respondents say, “to reduce liability.” Earlier in the pandemic, hospitals regularly tested patients and staff for Covid-19, and you could often tell where and how you became infected. Since staff are no longer masking and continue working when ill, and patients are not being tested on admission, you can no longer prove who infected you. Hospitals are the only ones who win in this scenario, absolving themselves of responsibility and liability."

[willowreader]

There are some good recommendations for masks in this article. There are many mask wearers who have protected themselves from not getting COVID even once. Masks work!

[blackautmedia]

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Researchers make virus-fighting face masks

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers have developed an accessible way to make N95 face masks not only effective barriers to germs, but on-contact germ killers. The antiviral, antibacterial masks can potentially be worn longer, causing less plastic waste as the masks do not need to be replaced as frequently.

Helen Zha, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering and a member of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer (CBIS), collaborated with Edmund Palermo, associate professor of materials science and engineering and a member of the Center for Materials, Devices, and Integrated systems (cMDIS) at Rensselaer, to fight infectious respiratory disease and environmental pollution with the perfect recipe to improve face masks.

"This was a multifaceted materials engineering challenge with a great, diverse team of collaborators," Palermo said. "We think the work is a first step toward longer-lasting, self-sterilizing personal protective equipment, such as the N95 respirator. It may help reduce transmission of airborne pathogens in general."

In research recently published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the team successfully grafted broad-spectrum antimicrobial polymers onto the polypropylene filters used in N95 face masks.

Read more.

[witchpussy42069]

Financially Fucked and Dealing with Climate Change (Tips On How To Survive Wildfire Season):

I'm not an expert, I'm just poor and the trees are on fire again❤️. Please reblog/add on your own tips or any information regarding fire safety, smoke safety, health, etc.

Before we get to how to clean the air, let's start with how to keep yourself safe. I can tell you to stay inside and avoid being out in all that smoke, but most of us are selling our souls to corporations and have jobs we have to go to. bummer.

1. Masks

Anyways, the ideal mask for this would be an N95, but a scarf or any kind of mask will also help you a little. Significantly less effectively than an N95 but it's better than no mask. Definitely wear while out and about, and consider wearing inside depending on how the air is in your home. Wash regularly if you're using a reusable mask or a scarf.

2. Washing

When you get home after being outside, take a shower and change your clothes. Wash all those pollutants out of your clothing, wash all the smoke particles off of your skin, and moisten up that air!! You're gonna want the air wet, I'll explain why in a minute. Not so wet that mold could begin to grow in your house though, to be clear.

3. Stay away from chemicals

Your lungs are tired. You've been working all day, breathing polluted air all day, your throat is sore and your head is killing you. You know what WON'T make you feel better? Breathing in the fumes of bleach, Lysol, Febreze, ammonia, etc. when you need to clean, stick to white vinegar or lemon juice, or something else natural, since you can't ventilate the house with all that smoke outside.

4. Honey & Ginger

Inevitably, your throat is sore and your head hurts. Honey and ginger will help you with that. Tea would be perfect. Peppermint tea will help too, any warm liquid with honey in it actually. Ginger is full of antioxidants, honey is full of probiotics, and mint soothes the throat and mouth.

5. Limit Excersize

Isn't excersize supposed to be good for my lungs? Yeah, it is. But your lungs are already working overtime just to survive the smoke with minimal damage if possible. So don't put extra strain on them now. Wait until the air is clear to play any sports or do any strenuous excersize.

6. Water (pt. 1)

Drink sooooo much water. Drink all of the water. And then drink even more water. Your body has this magical way of flushing out toxins and magically healing just by drinking water, and by magical I mean very scientific. I'm not a scientist tho, or a doctor, but its something something about kidneys and the liver idk, just drink water...

7. Public Places

Maybe a window in your home is broken. Maybe the vents don't work. Maybe you don't have a home. Whatever the reason, public spaces are a safe bet if you need somewhere to go with filtered air. City hall, libraries, and malls are all good options. Don't stay by the doors, especially if there's lots of people going in and out and smoke is wafting in. Go find somewhere away from unsealed windows and doors that doesn't smell or look hazy.

Okay, that's all I know about that. I'm not an expert. Now we're gonna talk about ways to clean ur air WITHOUT BUYING AN AIR PURIFIER, BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE POOR GOD DAMN IT. I cannot count how many results on the internet have told me to just buy an air purifier. I am EXTREMELY POOR 😎

Ways to clean the air in your home from wildfire smoke with things you probably either already have or can easily acquire:

Water(pt. 2):

Good ol' plain ol' water. I'm not a scientist, so forgive me for my lack of perfect articulation, but basically water absorbs smoke particles. Makes em clump together and coagulate so they're not just floating everywhere in the air. Also, as the water clings to the pollutants, it cools them down, which causes them to fall to the ground/floor. So unless you're army crawling everywhere, this is something to look into. Just get a spray bottle and mist water everywhere, aiming for just, like, the air and stuff. Or get a bowl of water and leave it to sit out and absorb toxins throughout the day. Maybe don't drink the water afterwards, but you can use it to water your plants. And speaking of plants~

Plants:

plants are your best friends when it comes to cleaning the air! We all know they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, but did you also know that some of them absorb mold and smoke particles from the air too? Well you do now! A list of plants that are especially good at cleaning the air include, but are not limited to:

-Aloe Vera

-Rubber Plant

-Any kind of Ivy (pothos, english, etc)

-Bamboo! (Cat safe)

-Snake Plant

-Spider Plant (Cat safe)

NASA on spider plants:

Yeah spider plants are amazing. I want 20.

Baking Soda:

Baking soda works much like activated charcoal in this scenario, what with its ability to absorb so many impurities! And baking soda's best buddy in every 5th grade science project ever, white vinegar, can help you out too! Leaving a bowl of baking soda out, or leaving a bowl of white vinegar out, will deodorize the air; but it's not just making things smell less horrible, it doesn't just mask scents, it absorbs and 🔥ELIMINATES🔥them.

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Okay now everybody say thank you Tay Tay!! And thank you Mr Bezos!! And thank you to alllll the other beloved private jet owners and billionaires❤️ now I don't have to wear my mittens anymore, teehee🤭

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Anyways reblog and add on your own tips for fire season safety!