For this purpose you can just use a scarf, put it over mouth & nose. It doesn't filter what you inhale, of course.
Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
11–20 of 28 posts
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#12From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. While they're better than nothing, they're not better than proper masks. [1] Isolation, social distancing, covering your mouth/nose correctly when you cough/sneeze and handwashing are more effective measures. [2] I don't imagine that these DIY masks should be used more than once (as is the case with most masks), so you'll probab…
> From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission.
Governments have been telling this, as well, but it cannot be 100% true. I supposed it was a white lie to prevent people from stockpiling.
Otherwise, there would be no use in medical personnel using masks.
I can understand that face masks might not be the best measure for healthy people, I can understand that they might not be super-effective, I can also understand that only certain types of masks are effective, but I cannot rationally believe all masks are completely useless.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#13Everyone not sick should be using Respirators classified as N95 / FFP2 / FFP3 or Half Mask with same class filters. This DIY is suitable only for already sick.
Ideally, yes, but if you didn't have a suitable respirator already you're going to have a hard time finding one now.
As some other people mentioned in other threads, aliexpress seems to be restocked on some "alleged" FFP2 and shipping them including express shipping with DHL. Risky and expensive bet tho.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#14From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. While they're better than nothing, they're not better than proper masks. [1] Isolation, social distancing, covering your mouth/nose correctly when you cough/sneeze and handwashing are more effective measures. [2] I don't imagine that these DIY masks should be used more than once (as is the case with most masks), so you'll probab…
"From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission"
What government has said -- in a convoluted, almost misinformation manner -- is that from a probability perspective a mask is unlikely to be useful for an average person. They were saying this when the number of cases in the respective countries were single or double digit. But for front-line workers who by definition deal with a concentration of cases, it's much more effective and likely to be consequential.
But of course it's effective. It is a marvel that anyone seriously bought arguments to the contrary, and it is foolish misinformation that is going to plague us for years now.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#15From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. While they're better than nothing, they're not better than proper masks. [1] Isolation, social distancing, covering your mouth/nose correctly when you cough/sneeze and handwashing are more effective measures. [2] I don't imagine that these DIY masks should be used more than once (as is the case with most masks), so you'll probab…
> From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. Governments have been telling this, as well, but it cannot be 100% true. I supposed it was a white lie to prevent people from stockpiling. Otherwise, there would be no use in medical personnel using masks. I can understand that face masks might not be the best measure for healthy people, I can understand that they might not be…
Of course not all masks are completely useless. By "these" I was referring to the item of the topic, namely "DIY masks". They are only somewhat effective in preventing droplets being transmitted when you cough or sneeze. They are less effective in stopping you coming into contact with the virus because they simply do not effectively filter it out.
What medical staff wear are masks that are effective at filtering out viruses. Read this [1] on the FDA site for a good explanation.
It's well established that there's a global shortage of masks. [2] They're made in China and they can only make so many because the manufacturing requires special equipment. [3]
[1] https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equi...
[2] https://theconversation.com/the-global-effort-to-tackle-the-...
[2] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/16/8149292...
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#16From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. While they're better than nothing, they're not better than proper masks. [1] Isolation, social distancing, covering your mouth/nose correctly when you cough/sneeze and handwashing are more effective measures. [2] I don't imagine that these DIY masks should be used more than once (as is the case with most masks), so you'll probab…
"From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission" What government has said -- in a convoluted, almost misinformation manner -- is that from a probability perspective a mask is unlikely to be useful for an average person. They were saying this when the number of cases in the respective countries were single or double digit. But for front-line workers who by definition deal with…
See my reply to nisuni above. I was referring to DIY masks, which is what the topic is about. Masks are definitely critical for health professionals interacting with those who are sick.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
"From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission" What government has said -- in a convoluted, almost misinformation manner -- is that from a probability perspective a mask is unlikely to be useful for an average person. They were saying this when the number of cases in the respective countries were single or double digit. But for front-line workers who by definition deal with…
See my reply to nisuni above. I was referring to DIY masks, which is what the topic is about. Masks are definitely critical for health professionals interacting with those who are sick.
I suppose so, though pre-edit certainly seemed to be masks generally, including a WHO statement on masks generally. Not to mention there have been some vigorous arguments on HN where people dismiss masks wholesale (including N95 masks).
Though while dismissing DIY masks, it's worth noting that the CDC is now telling actual front-line workers to fashion masks out of bandanas, etc. Anything that slows/scatters air is going to have some effectiveness.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#18From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. While they're better than nothing, they're not better than proper masks. [1] Isolation, social distancing, covering your mouth/nose correctly when you cough/sneeze and handwashing are more effective measures. [2] I don't imagine that these DIY masks should be used more than once (as is the case with most masks), so you'll probab…
> From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. Governments have been telling this, as well, but it cannot be 100% true. I supposed it was a white lie to prevent people from stockpiling. Otherwise, there would be no use in medical personnel using masks. I can understand that face masks might not be the best measure for healthy people, I can understand that they might not be…
Surgical-style masks are designed to catch droplets from the wearer, and therefore prevent the wearer infecting others. They are not useful in the reverse direction, only those other super-tight masks are.
So if you are healthy right now, you should probably not be wearing a surgical mask. However there is a use for healthy medical professionals wearing a surgical mask, which is to prevent them from becoming a vector for the virus as much as possible. Since a medical professional may see many patients in a day, and only days later learn that one of their patients was infected (and therefore they may be also), the surgical mask will be moderately effective at preventing infection of the numerous people they have seen in the meantime.
Hypothetically it would be great if we could all wear masks for the protection of others, such as they have been doing in Taiwan (amongst other places). However, the shortage of masks means that we should deploy them where they are most effective, which is medical professionals. (Taiwan actually mobilised their military to ramp up mask production, it’s not like they just magically had enough masks for everyone).
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#19Everyone not sick should be using Respirators classified as N95 / FFP2 / FFP3 or Half Mask with same class filters. This DIY is suitable only for already sick.
Only health professionals should be wearing these. The public should not be wearing them as there is already a global shortage and they are badly needed by those caring for the sick.
Bunch of nonsense.
If you're in a high risk group, you should absolutely be wearing a mask. Every high risk group prevention is potentially worth an ICU bed or a hospital admission slot.
Re: Covid19 DIY Face-Mask
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
> From what I read, these are only useful if you're sick and trying to reduce transmission. Governments have been telling this, as well, but it cannot be 100% true. I supposed it was a white lie to prevent people from stockpiling. Otherwise, there would be no use in medical personnel using masks. I can understand that face masks might not be the best measure for healthy people, I can understand that they might not be…
Of course not all masks are completely useless. By "these" I was referring to the item of the topic, namely "DIY masks". They are only somewhat effective in preventing droplets being transmitted when you cough or sneeze. They are less effective in stopping you coming into contact with the virus because they simply do not effectively filter it out. What medical staff wear are masks that are effective at filtering out…
Masks are complicated. There is a bunch of research on practical use of protective face masks, respirators and in that effectiveness showed to be massively reduced due to leaks, improper wear, moving them or taking them off because it's hard to talk in them, hard to breathe in them and so on. Masks that claim 99% don't necessarily improve much over an 80% mask or at all. DIY masks are not much worse for the same reason.
But at the same time masks is the only significant personal protection measure against this virus when you have to be in close proximity to other people. Literally any mask would help in such case.
> They are only somewhat effective in preventing droplets being transmitted when you cough or sneeze.
They are even less effective at that, than filtering stuff coming in.