Should I be wearing two masks?
macleans.ca
Should I be wearing two masks?
1–10 of 46 posts
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#2I see no solid argument here against three masks? Are the authors white supremacists?
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#3As far as I know, this has been medical procedure for months now.
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#4No, but double masking will help until the real solution is acknowledged and implemented.
Everyone should be wearing properly fit and sealed N95 masks from well known brands like 3M. Pieces of cloth that vaguely cover the mouth and nose but leave giant gaps do not protect the user very well. A proper 3M N95 that intentionally worn un-fit, with large gaps along the nose and sides becomes an ~N40.
Unfit masks of any type, and fit "KN95" masks that have such a high pressure drop all air goes around the edges (they suck in and out) barely protect the user of the mask at all. Yes, they're better than nothing. Much like wearing sandals in a blizzard is better than being barefoot. But it won't stop your toes from freezing off and unfit, unrated masks won't protect you from aerosol infection.
The solution of two masks hardly helps if there are still large open apertures along the sides. The only real solution (within the USA) is to use the defense production act to force 3M and Ameritech to fully hire-up and run their factories full time, as well as building new electrospun N95 mask factories. Every single person in the USA (and canada, and elsewhere) should have enough N95 masks to use a new one each day. That is the only solution to the mask problem. Double masking with bad masks is just more security theater.
It's been an entire year. The excuse the real masks are only for hospital personel is no longer valid. The people deserve, they need, real masks.
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#5As far as I know, this has been medical procedure for months now.
Many hospitals are wearing two masks but for slightly different reasons. N95s are almost certainly sufficient to protect you if they’re worn correctly. If you’re an employee at a hospital, they’ll do what’s called a fit-test to ensure you can get a full seal on your mask. It involves a strong-smelling substance outside the mask and if you can smell it, your mask hasn’t sealed properly.
The second (often cheap surgical) mask is merely to protect the more expensive N95 since they’re in relatively short supply still. Surgical masks have plenty of supply and are cheap so they can be tossed out in between patients to limit the risk of cross infection.
Outside of healthcare settings, N95s are rare and often worn incorrectly so a second mask over the first is actually providing moderately more filtration and protection.
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#6No, but double masking will help until the real solution is acknowledged and implemented. Everyone should be wearing properly fit and sealed N95 masks from well known brands like 3M. Pieces of cloth that vaguely cover the mouth and nose but leave giant gaps do not protect the user very well. A proper 3M N95 that intentionally worn un-fit, with large gaps along the nose and sides becomes an ~N40. Unfit masks of any ty…
Could we find a simple solution in just telling people to stay home and if they dont they've assumed their own risk?
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#7Good luck, I'm behind 7 masks
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#8Good luck, I'm behind 7 masks
Is this a proxy reference?
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#9No, but double masking will help until the real solution is acknowledged and implemented. Everyone should be wearing properly fit and sealed N95 masks from well known brands like 3M. Pieces of cloth that vaguely cover the mouth and nose but leave giant gaps do not protect the user very well. A proper 3M N95 that intentionally worn un-fit, with large gaps along the nose and sides becomes an ~N40. Unfit masks of any ty…
I was told I’m anti science for saying poorly fitting cloth masks don’t work :-(
Re: Should I be wearing two masks?
#10As far as I know, this has been medical procedure for months now.
Many hospitals are wearing two masks but for slightly different reasons. N95s are almost certainly sufficient to protect you if they’re worn correctly . If you’re an employee at a hospital, they’ll do what’s called a fit-test to ensure you can get a full seal on your mask. It involves a strong-smelling substance outside the mask and if you can smell it, your mask hasn’t sealed properly. The second (often cheap surgic…
N95s are good but you also have to wear them correctly (and be clean shaven?) and frequently change them.