? for those who have done mask research

04 January 2022, 09:39 AM

I have never read anything that suggests that these work as intended. I've read that they fog up and are super uncomfortable. And I never read how they compare to the N95/KN95 in terms of protectiveness. So I have long forgotten these and didn't even think of them for this thread.

But I wonder, now that you mention it, if they deserve a second look.

But yeah, very pricy! And sold out to boot!

04 January 2022, 09:53 AM

rontuner

Our choir director tried one of those for the first rehearsal and never used it again... fogged up his glasses a bunch.

It doesn't look like it has very much area for filtration material.

04 January 2022, 10:03 AM

QuirtEvans

I have no bone to pick here, but the masks are FDA-approved surgical masks, apparently.

https://www.salesforce.com/blo...ed-clear-face-masks/

04 January 2022, 10:45 AM

rontuner

It looks like there are multiple companies/designs. Most of the filtration seems to be below the chin which should be good for glasses. Probably the future of mask-wearing for those that need to communicate!

04 January 2022, 11:38 AM

wtg

I thought that dol is presently limited to using one of the two mask options provided by the school.

Odd that they're making people wear the N95s for a few weeks. That doesn't seem very reasonable; I'm assuming it's related to cost.

In any event, with the delay in going back to in person instruction, it certainly seems like a good time for the school to consider other options like the clear ones. Maybe check out some of the different styles and get a few samples to see how they work for people? Maybe the school would expand the choices available....

This Bend Shape version that's in the Sales Force link that Quirt posted looks pretty interesting...

https://bendshapemask.com/

--------------------------------
We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training

04 January 2022, 07:57 PM

dolmansaxlil

Clear masks were given to our French teachers and to teachers with deaf students but it’s cost prohibitive. One thing you have to keep in mind is that our school system works very differently from those in the US. I am in a relatively small school district of over 20,000 kids spread over about 70 schools. We are one of 70 districts in the province. The vast majority of kids attend public school (the only private schools for elementary in my area are strictly religious). So while there are lots of cries of how irresponsible the government is being by not providing adequate PPE, the reality is that it’s tax payer dollars and the government currently in power are not educator friendly. Our current provincial government is also making decisions very late in the game compared to other provinces, so there are three or four memos coming down every day contradicting what was said in the previous memo. I believe the most recent one has changed the number of masks we are allotted. Since we are now back to remote learning, I’m going to ignore all the PPE memos until I actually have to return and figure it out then.

04 January 2022, 08:15 PM

rontuner

I'm tempted to try some of the clear options. If anyone does, please report back!

04 January 2022, 08:23 PM

wtg

Interesting.

quote:
The BendShape Quartz™ General Purpose mask is washable. Quartz can be hand washed or machine washed, in cold water with mild detergent on a delicate cycle inside a laundry bag, then removed from the laundry bag and thoroughly air-dried before reuse. Washing does degrade the ani-fog performance of Quartz and an anti-fog may need to be reapplied after washing your mask. Note that washing your mask is not a proven means of disinfection or sterilization. Please email us at support@BendShapeMask.com with any additional questions.

https://bendshapemask.com/prod...general-purpose-mask

The other one, the ASTM Level 3, is not washable:

https://bendshapemask.com/prod...-mask-3-pack-25-pack

05 January 2022, 08:18 AM

wtg

I hope it's OK to stick this in dol's thread, as things have drifted to a more general discussion of masks...

Why it might be a good time to up your mask game:

https://nymag.com/intelligence...source=pocket-newtab

Specific recommendations for masks:

https://nymag.com/strategist/a...able-face-masks.html

05 January 2022, 09:03 AM

ShiroKuro

from the article about upgrading your mask:

quote:
What do you see as primary barriers when it comes to widespread public adoption of high-filtration masks?
I think that people don’t know which masks to get, or where to get them, and then actually being able to afford them. Those are issues that the government can address. They can literally just say, “Okay, let’s look into this. Here are four or five mask options that we think the public can use. Here’s an instructional kit on how to improve fit.”

This misses a few details, including Dol's concerns about communication while masked. Also comfort.

Fairly early on in the pandemic, I wrote something on FB IIRC, about how the secret to getting better mask compliance is the three Cs: masks need to be cheap, convenient, and comfortable. Now I guess I would add, controversy-free (i.e., not a political tool), and communicable....

The five Cs... too complicated.

But anyway, the point about comfort is a big deal. I think there need to be more options with both the head straps and the ear straps, so that people can choose which is more comfortable. And the sizes need to be clearer, like child-sized, medium-adult, large-adult....

05 January 2022, 09:07 AM

ShiroKuro

Re the second article, it mentions the light and the candle test (hold the mask up to the light, try to blow out a candle).

I think I will do that with my KN95s, which you might remember me posting about because they're not certified.

BTW, I also meant to mention that the Chronicle of Higher Ed is reporting on colleges which are now making their mask rules more specific, either specifying that the mask must be an N95 or KN95, or else specifying no cloth masks, only surgical or 95s.

Perhaps this will ... filter down (har) and more people will adopt better masks. Time will tell.

10 January 2022, 12:02 PM

wtg

More mask recommendations. They talk about yours, SK.

https://www.wired.com/story/be...ularity-mab-strategy

10 January 2022, 12:35 PM

ShiroKuro

Hmm, on the one hand, it's encouraging (considing I have a huge bag of those). But on the other hand, this article seems to be more clear that there's a meaningful filtration difference between N95s and KN95s...

I'm not a high risk individual, but I'm getting ready to go back to a classroom with 30+ people in it....

-__-

10 January 2022, 03:16 PM

rontuner

I read that differently to understand that it was from a specific Americentric view that "if we haven't reviewed and approved", it must be of lesser quality...

That being said, I have found the 3M Aura masks to be very easy breathing - I use them in choir now that they are requiring a higher mask level to keep practicing. The double behind-the-head rubber bands grab on MrsTuner's hair, but I don't have that problem! They also have a foam seal across the top edge.

If I ever travel with a mask again, I'll either use a behind the head type, or get some of those clips for the over-ear ones to be more comfortable for long hours.

10 January 2022, 06:48 PM

wtg

There was a segment on tonight's ABC News with David Muir. There was a story about masks, and how long it would take for someone to get omicron from an infected person, with both in a room and eah wearing the same type of mask.

Cloth: 27 minutes
Surgical mask: 60 minutes
N95: 25 hours

And before you ask, they didn't talk about KN95 or KF94....

I'm going to look for the study from which the information was drawn. Meanwhile, another article about masks:

https://www.usatoday.com/in-de...an-cloth/9129901002/