topic Re: N95 Mask Success in Community Chat

N95 Mask Success

Porcelain — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:38:59 GMT

I finally wore my N95 mask today to go and early vote. It was very comfortable. I followed the directions on the package to fit it to my nose. What I like best about it is that it doesn't fog my glasses. All air goes in and out through the valve.

What I like least about it is that it doesn't have ear loops. You put it on around the back of your neck and behind your head above your ears. Hard to keep your hair nice while situating the mask properly. And I felt like a few people unfamiliar with this type of mask might have thought I didn't know how to put it on properly, since the bright yellow elastic went behind my head. Very minor concerns all in all and I was fortunate not to have to wear it for long.

The location took very good precautions: required that I wear a glove (it was one size fits all and blocked my seeing the paper when signing at first), had me drop my ID on a piece of paper that the worker then pulled towards her to examine without touching it. And distancing markers on the floor. I brought my own pen. They had hand sanitizer at the exit by the stickers, which I used.

I also noticed a musty smell in my car due to this mask. I took it off in the car and suddenly I could smell something different. So I'll be detailing the interior this week. Another nice benefit of the N95.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Nightowlz — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:53:53 GMT

Glad you were able to go vote today.

I thought they said not to wear the masks with a valve on them because while they protect you they don't protect others around you?

I hate wearing the masks. My face all around my cheeks, mouth, chin area gets all inflamed, red & irritated.

Re: N95 Mask Success

KingstonsMom — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:59:49 GMT

I went to get my flu shot today and I wore my paw/print mask that my SIL made and maintained a 6 ft. distance.

I'm saving my N95 masks in case I have to go into a hospital/nursing home settling, with many sick people.

Being high risk, I've only left home twice since early march, once for a Dr. appt (before they started doing them by phone) and today for my flu shot.

I'm a homebody, so I have no problem self isolating with DH and DD.

Re: N95 Mask Success

BlueFinch — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:15:14 GMT

@Porcelain A valve? N95 masks aren't supposed to have an exhalation valve. It may protect you more and assist inhaling/exhaling, but it protects others less. Early on, we were reminded to avoid masks with valves. Just saying ...

Re: N95 Mask Success

CrazyDaisy — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:24:30 GMT

@Nightowlz wrote:
Glad you were able to go vote today.
I thought they said not to wear the masks with a valve on them because while they protect you they don't protect others around you?
I hate wearing the masks. My face all around my cheeks, mouth, chin area gets all inflamed, red & irritated.

Heard the same thing about the masks with valves, fairly usless.

Re: N95 Mask Success

bargainsgirl — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:31:12 GMT

N95 masks with a valve are NOT going to help keep germs from going out towards others. They have NOT been given the "ok" to work well. My Husband used to wear them at work to keep DUST out and that's about it.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Porcelain — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:31:40 GMT

@BlueFinch wrote:
@Porcelain A valve? N95 masks aren't supposed to have an exhalation valve. It may protect you more and assist inhaling/exhaling, but it protects others less. Early on, we were reminded to avoid masks with valves. Just saying ...

Next time I'll put one of my surgical masks on over it just in case. That should cover everything. I was most concerned about not catching Covid in this particular circumstance. It was very well run and I was welcomed in wearing my mask as it was. People were very nice and respected social distancing.

Re: N95 Mask Success

CrazyDaisy — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:37:54 GMT

@bargainsgirl wrote:
N95 masks with a valve are NOT going to help keep germs from going out towards others. They have NOT been given the "ok" to work well. My Husband used to wear them at work to keep DUST out and that's about it.

Yep, we are asked to wear masks to protect others, not ourselves. Those masks with valves may actually spread things further. Kind of selfish when you only think of yourself,

Re: N95 Mask Success

SilleeMee — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:43:59 GMT

There are different kinds of N95 masks. Some are vented and others are not. The vented ones should not be worn for covid reasons. Vented N95 masks are for construction workers or for people who are not going to be around other people. The one-way vent part doesn't have any filtration capability and is there to make it easier for the wearer to exhale.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Porcelain — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:41:31 GMT

@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@bargainsgirl wrote:
N95 masks with a valve are NOT going to help keep germs from going out towards others. They have NOT been given the "ok" to work well. My Husband used to wear them at work to keep DUST out and that's about it.
Yep, we are asked to wear masks to protect others, not ourselves. Those masks with valves may actually spread things further. Kind of selfish when you only think of yourself,

This is awesome that you are defending mask wearing to protect others. Thank you! I love that.

Re: N95 Mask Success

CrazyDaisy — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:45:44 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@bargainsgirl wrote:
N95 masks with a valve are NOT going to help keep germs from going out towards others. They have NOT been given the "ok" to work well. My Husband used to wear them at work to keep DUST out and that's about it.
Yep, we are asked to wear masks to protect others, not ourselves. Those masks with valves may actually spread things further. Kind of selfish when you only think of yourself,
This is awesome that you are defending mask wearing to protect others. Thank you! I love that.

Don't have to agree that they are necessary.....just following the house rules. Like masks with no valves.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Mindy D — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:50:50 GMT

@Porcelain wrote:
@CrazyDaisy wrote:
@bargainsgirl wrote:
N95 masks with a valve are NOT going to help keep germs from going out towards others. They have NOT been given the "ok" to work well. My Husband used to wear them at work to keep DUST out and that's about it.
Yep, we are asked to wear masks to protect others, not ourselves. Those masks with valves may actually spread things further. Kind of selfish when you only think of yourself,
This is awesome that you are defending mask wearing to protect others. Thank you! I love that.

@CrazyDaisy @Surgical masks and cloth masks help protect others from the virus and might offer some protection to the wearer and for the general public but genuine, properly fitted, N95 masks definitely protect the wearer. That is why they are the gold standard for mask PPE for doctors and nurses. If you are fortunate to have them and learn to wear them correctly they can help protect you.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Mindy D — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:56:03 GMT

N95 Respirators, Surgical Masks, and Face Masks

N95 respirators and surgical masks are examples of personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also regulate N95 respirators.

It is important to recognize that the optimal way to prevent airborne transmission is to use a combination of interventions from across the hierarchy of controls, not just PPE alone.

COVID-19 Resources on Respirators and Masks

Respirators:

For health care providers and facilities: Considerations for Selecting Respirators for Your Health Care Facility
For industry: Manufacturing and Distributing Respirators for Health Care Use in the United States

Masks:

Face Masks and Surgical Masks for COVID-19: Includes FAQs on manufacturing, purchasing, importing, and donating masks
Surgical Mask and Gown Conservation Strategies - Letter to Health Care Providers Includes conventional capacity strategies, contingency capacity strategies, and crisis or alternate strategies (if masks are running low and if no masks are available)

On this page:

N95 Respirators Not for Use by the General Public

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that the general public wear N95 respirators to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19). Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for health care workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

CDC Recommends Cloth Face Coverings for Use by the General Public

The CDC recommends that members of the public use simple cloth face coverings when in a public setting to slow the spread of the virus, since this will help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. For more information, see the CDC’s Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions, such as hand washing and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distancing, to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.

Surgical Masks

A surgical mask is a loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. Surgical masks are regulated under 21 CFR 878.4040. Surgical masks are not to be shared and may be labeled as surgical, isolation, dental, or medical procedure masks. They may come with or without a face shield. These are often referred to as face masks, although not all face masks are regulated as surgical masks.

Surgical masks are made in different thicknesses and with different ability to protect you from contact with liquids. These properties may also affect how easily you can breathe through the face mask and how well the surgical mask protects you.

If worn properly, a surgical mask is meant to help block large-particle droplets, splashes, sprays, or splatter that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose. Surgical masks may also help reduce exposure of your saliva and respiratory secretions to others.

While a surgical mask may be effective in blocking splashes and large-particle droplets, a face mask, by design, does not filter or block very small particles in the air that may be transmitted by coughs, sneezes, or certain medical procedures. Surgical masks also do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face.

Surgical masks are not intended to be used more than once. If your mask is damaged or soiled, or if breathing through the mask becomes difficult, you should remove the face mask, discard it safely, and replace it with a new one. To safely discard your mask, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Wash your hands after handling the used mask.

N95 Respirators

An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. Note that the edges of the respirator are designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth. Surgical N95 Respirators are commonly used in healthcare settings and are a subset of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs), often referred to as N95s.

The similarities among surgical masks and surgical N95s are:

They are tested for fluid resistance, filtration efficiency (particulate filtration efficiency and bacterial filtration efficiency), flammability and biocompatibility.
They should not be shared or reused.

Comparing Surgical Masks and Surgical N95 Respirators

The FDA regulates surgical masks and surgical N95 respirators differently based on their intended use.

A surgical mask is a loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. These are often referred to as face masks, although not all face masks are regulated as surgical masks. Note that the edges of the mask are not designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth.

The similarities among surgical masks and surgical N95s are:

They are tested for fluid resistance, filtration efficiency (particulate filtration efficiency and bacterial filtration efficiency), flammability and biocompatibility.
They should not be shared or reused.

General N95 Respirator Precautions

People with chronic respiratory, cardiac, or other medical conditions that make breathing difficult should check with their health care provider before using an N95 respirator because the N95 respirator can make it more difficult for the wearer to breathe.
Some models have exhalation valves that can make breathing out easier and help reduce heat build-up. Note that N95 respirators with exhalation valves should not be used when sterile conditions are needed.✅
All FDA-cleared N95 respirators are labeled as "single-use," disposable devices. If your respirator is damaged or soiled, or if breathing becomes difficult, you should remove the respirator, discard it properly, and replace it with a new one. To safely discard your N95 respirator, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Wash your hands after handling the used respirator.
N95 respirators are not designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.

Decontaminating Respirators

The FDA has issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for the emergency use of decontamination systems for use in decontaminating certain respirators used by health care personnel when there are insufficient supplies of new respirators resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. New FDA-cleared N95 respirators or NIOSH-approved N95 respirators or other FDA authorized respirators are always the first choice before a decontaminated respirator.

If a used respirator that is FDA-cleared or NIOSH-approved is available and a new respirator covered under one of the FDA Emergency Use Authorizations for respirators is not available, you may consider decontaminating and reusing the used respirator with a decontamination system that has an FDA Emergency Use Authorization, if the used respirator is compatible with the decontamination system.
If your facility is using respirators that have been subsequently removed from Appendix A, these respirators are no longer authorized by FDA for single use or for reuse by an FDA authorized decontamination system.
Additionally, as of June 6, 2020, any respirator authorized by the Non-NIOSH-Approved Disposable Filtering Facepiece Respirators Manufactured in China, or any respirators with exhalation valves are not authorized to be decontaminated by any of the authorized decontamination systems.
If you have concerns about respirators or questions about the packaging, labeling, or quality of the respirators, consider replacing, discarding, or returning the respirators to the distributor.

Respirators that are NIOSH-approved before decontamination only retain their NIOSH approval status post-decontamination if the respirator manufacturer permits the use of the decontamination method with the specific system and cycle parameters. To determine the NIOSH approval status of a specific decontaminated NIOSH-approved respirator, please check with the respirator manufacturer.

N95 Respirators in Industrial and Health Care Settings

Most N95 respirators are manufactured for use in construction and other industrial type jobs that expose workers to dust and small particles. They are regulated by the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, some N95 respirators are intended for use in a health care setting. Specifically, single-use, disposable respiratory protective devices used and worn by health care personnel during procedures to protect both the patient and health care personnel from the transfer of microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate material. These surgical N95 respirators are class II devices regulated by the FDA, under 21 CFR 878.4040, and CDC NIOSH under 42 CFR Part 84.

N95s respirators regulated under product code MSH are class II medical devices exempt from 510(k) premarket notification, unless:

The respirator is intended to prevent specific diseases or infections, or
The respirator is labeled or otherwise represented as filtering surgical smoke or plumes, filtering specific amounts of viruses or bacteria, reducing the amount of and/or killing viruses, bacteria, or fungi, or affecting allergenicity, or
The respirator contains coating technologies unrelated to filtration (e.g., to reduce and or kill microorganisms).

The FDA has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CDC NIOSH which outlines the framework for coordination and collaboration between the FDA and NIOSH for regulation of this subset of N95 respirators.

For additional differences between surgical masks and N95 respirators, please see CDC’s infographic.

Content current as of:

Re: N95 Mask Success

chrystaltree — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:57:13 GMT

I can't quite picture it. I have K95's and hubby gets them from work, he's a nurse. The ones we have do have adjustable ear loops. I like that they fit close to the face and they have strong nose clips. I wear the N95's when I plan to be out and about for a long time, otherwise I wear the regular medical masks. I can't breathe well through the cloth ones my friend gave me as a gift.

Re: N95 Mask Success

BlueFinch — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:21:03 GMT

@Mindy D The discussion is about masks with valves. You will never find an N95 mask with a valve, in a hospital setting. They have other purposes. Mostly industrial type jobs, carpentry, shop work, sanding, etc.

The N95, fitted, non-valve mask used in patient care settings, is an entirely different mask for a different purpose. And, if not fitted correctly, it won't be much more efficient than the typical surgical mask. This is why you're required to test annually. Guys with beards don't pass the test.

Google N95 valve masks. People are being duped into believing they are superior protection from the virus, but they're not.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Kachina624 — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:31:14 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
I went to get my flu shot today and I wore my paw/print mask that my SIL made and maintained a 6 ft. distance.

I'm saving my N95 masks in case I have to go into a hospital/nursing home settling, with many sick people.

Being high risk, I've only left home twice since early march, once for a Dr. appt (before they started doing them by phone) and today for my flu shot.

I'm a homebody, so I have no problem self isolating with DH and DD.

@KingstonsMom Is DD a daughter or a dog? I'm guessing dog.

Re: N95 Mask Success

Porcelain — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:34:08 GMT

This education is great. Please keep it coming. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to let me know this information about N95 masks with valves.

If you have one and want to wear it, don't just wear it by itself like I did. Put on a surgical mask as well so you can protect others.

Re: N95 Mask Success

KingstonsMom — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:52:58 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:

@KingstonsMom wrote:
I went to get my flu shot today and I wore my paw/print mask that my SIL made and maintained a 6 ft. distance.

I'm saving my N95 masks in case I have to go into a hospital/nursing home settling, with many sick people.

Being high risk, I've only left home twice since early march, once for a Dr. appt (before they started doing them by phone) and today for my flu shot.

I'm a homebody, so I have no problem self isolating with DH and DD.
@KingstonsMom Is DD a daughter or a dog? I'm guessing dog.

@Kachina624

LOL!

DD is our Dear Daughter, who has returned home, after escaping an abusive marriage and DD is also our 'Dear Dog', Kingston....her brother!

Re: N95 Mask Success

shoesnbags — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:54:21 GMT

@Nightowlz wrote:
Glad you were able to go vote today.
I thought they said not to wear the masks with a valve on them because while they protect you they don't protect others around you?
I hate wearing the masks. My face all around my cheeks, mouth, chin area gets all inflamed, red & irritated.

Yes, you're correct, @Nightowlz

Re: N95 Mask Success

chrystaltree — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 22:15:24 GMT

@shoesnbags wrote:
@Nightowlz wrote:
Glad you were able to go vote today.
I thought they said not to wear the masks with a valve on them because while they protect you they don't protect others around you?
I hate wearing the masks. My face all around my cheeks, mouth, chin area gets all inflamed, red & irritated.
Yes, you're correct, @Nightowlz

it's the material. Sadly everyone and their grandmother and their grandmother's dog is making masks out of any fabric they can come by, without thinking about the beathabilty or irritation, I like you have. You can get disposable medical masks from Amazon and other shopping channel for reasonable prices.