quote:

when I went to the ophthalmologist a couple of days ago, none of the techs or doctors were masked despite the sign on the front door encouraging masking for patients entering. I was masked, of course, and wasn't real thrilled about having an unmasked person inches from my face.

quote:

Originally posted by markj:
Most comfortable N95 I have ever worn.

You can get 300 of them for $139.00 There might be a first time buyer discount. I remember getting one.

https://www.armbrustusa.com/co...riant=39649761001605

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Originally posted by AD:
Problem with Amazon is sifting through all the bilge to find a gem.
And only you can say if a mask is comfortable. Ultimately, wearing one with excellent fit, combined with your hand cleanliness seems to be the key factors.

I'd say buy an N95 or N99 mask made in the USA. N95 is going to protect you, as well as others, while made in the USA ought to reassure you of quality control.


My take on this new mask market:
1. Homemade/bought stuff that doesn't fit at all, bandanas, solid masks, things where air flows freely around or under. Useless.
2.Homemade/bought stuff that fit badly, including anything without a noseband, anything with earloops, anything with less than two layers of material. Protects others to some extent, the wearer very little.
3. Bought masks that are rated and look the business but... Made somewhere you are uncertain about. Possibly fakes from mainly China etc. Often have earloops (see 2 above). Ought to give you some protection but how much if the fit is not snug?
4. Masks made in UK/USA somewhere you trust and are rated FFP2/N95/FFP3/N99. Must be elasticated around the back of the head with two loops and have an adjustable noseband to fit. You see the mask rise and fall as you breath showing the fit is good and filtration is working. Probably the least comfortable, probably the warmest to wear, probably the most expensive, probably worth buying to see how you feel wearing them.


That's my 2c

Andy

https://smartairfilters.com/en...ween-n95-kn95-masks/

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KN95 masks are an incredibly popular respirator design. The cone shape provides a tighter seal than surgical masks, while many find the ear loops more comfortable than the head straps found on traditional cup-style N95 masks.

It's a good design, but after testing hundreds of KN95s that we bought on Amazon, we consistently found that the most popular ones don’t even follow the Chinese safety standards they're based on -- with almost half failing the most important 95% protection standard.

People deserve a high quality, American-made KN95 that has been tested to exceed the highest safety standards — but since it didn’t exist, we made it

quote:

Originally posted by wtg:
Suggested guidelines for when to mask. Not much new here, but a good refresher.

https://www.npr.org/2023/02/10...ree-experts-weigh-in