Face Masks As Survival Gear

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...onavirus-carrie-lam-warns-hong-kong-officials


Good morning all,

In this current event, face masks are surely on the list of survival gear.

The links gives much "flavor" to the face mask situation in re close contact with people.

Note the statement that the N95 face mask does NOT protect against the Wuhan corona virus. The N95 is the basic, thin mask used by emergency responders. I once had a false positive re SARS and my personal M.D. and others, my DDS, my medic associates said to use a P100.

Somewhere here at Forum, I placed a chart on the series of masks.

...

All of us must check the oars, the paddles, the sail cloth and sea anchor. We've got to get down to South America where it's safe. The chart shows this.

Meanwhile, the most dangerous aspect of our living will involve being in a private motor vehicle on a public road.

...

Sidebar; If N95 masks are not available, would not a regular size coffee filter with a rubber band or masking tape work ? (Had always wondered if coffee filters have a health value or just a taste enhancer.)

 

Working from top to bottom, if I may...

For the most part, no... I ran the test myself also thinking it was a hunky-dory substitute... see survival mom's article >>HERE<< - of course, in an extreme case, you gotta do what you gotta do!

I agree with that sentiment. Masses of people amassing on the roads and highways and bi-ways in a mass exodus create a mass of mess. DANGER WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!

Not sure where that chart is, or if this is the mask chart you speak of, but I would love to see it!

I've had to change my links for my audience because so many N95's are out of stock! Referring them to multi-packs and bundles for N95's and P100's like these (contains my amazon affiliate links, I'll earn a small kickback, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase anything from my links.):

>>N95<<
>>N100<<
>>P100 RESPIRATOR KIT<<​

 

Good afternoon Justin,

https://pksafety.com/blog/respiratory-basics-n95-vs-p100/

At narrative, "How masks ... are rated" has some pertinent material.

https://pksafety.com/dust-masks Dust-masks has a basic page. I'm guessing many of the masks at this San Francisco area company are sold out because Californians are working on their surf boards now getting ready for the warm weather.

Somewhere PK Safety had a chart - believe somewhere in their blog - with the 3 categories of mask and then fleshed out with specifics. I couldn't find it. Maybe someone knows where I posted the chart about a week ago.

It might be advantageous to contact Daniel about the MSF's masthead section "Store" and have a listing. Worth exploring.

 

as usual, thank you for sharing!

I have read their info. Thank you for sharing! Maybe your reply >>HERE<< is what you were thinking of?

 

Sounds like a good plan, thank you for the suggestion.

 

Good afternoon Justin,

From a fading memory, I believe the chart I'm mentioning was from PK Safety, Alameda and not the 3 M chart I told Varuna about.

 

OK, a surgical mask is just short of useless and is worn to protect the patient not the person wearing it. If you want to wear a mask then get N95 dust masks or a reusable one like they use when painting. I have carried the N95 in all of my kits for a long time. They say that N95 masks will protect you from 99% of viruses. I suspect that this is because most of the time they are riding on some sort of carrying agent.

I carry an N95 dust mask, nitrile gloves, heavy work gloves and Metholatum ointment or Vic's vapor rub. Anyone that has smelled death knows what the ointments are for. The N95 masks can help in a dust storm or in something like 911 when the buildings when down. The two kinds of gloves are each needed in the event of some sort of disaster where you might need to dig someone out of the wreckage.

 

I am in the hunt for a quality half face mask......."NOT" disposable. I am looking for as good as I can get for between $150.00 and $200.00'ish.

This would mostly be for Volcanic ash. We have a lot of active volcanos, and I have experienced about 6 or 8 that lasted 3 to 10 days. This mask is mostly because I am now an old man and the ash would be harder on me.

 

Volcanic ash is hard on everything. It eats up jet engines. Breathing it is like breathing in microscopic razor blades.

 

https://pksafety.com/3m-6000-series-half-facepiece-respirator/


Good morning Sourdough,

Only for a bench mark type of reference I'm linking the above. No endorsement of PK Safety although I do buy from them.

At link's right vertical sidebar, under "3M" at "Product Experts" is "Have a question?" At link's masthead is their toll free telephone number.

If in the market for a $150 -$2 ish half mask, I'm sure these SFO area folks will get you on the right track. Then you can shop around the web.

...

TexDanm; Appreciated reading "microscopic razor blades" ! Merci for a good day's start.

 

I don't recall seeing that.
Those claiming "surgical masks" are better have it backwards.

Any sort of filtration helps to some degree.
Coffee filters do almost nothing to stop air from passing through though.

 

Good morning Snyper,

At the SCMP link a few posts above here, after the picture of "Cary Lam (second from right)..." with green water harbor picture in background, scroll down to:

the sketch picture .

The small print below the picture says: "N95 respirator offer some protection, ......"

It's not the clearest written statement but worth reading in full and then researching what one's needs are and the most appropriate mask to have.

 

That's not saying: "Note the statement that the N95 face mask does NOT protect against the Wuhan corona virus."

A mask or respirator doesn't have to be capable of filtering individual virus particles to be effective since the viruses are carried on larger dust particles or water droplets.

The mask only has to stop those to offer protection, and the N95 can do that very well.

The only thing that stops 100% of particles is a positive pressure haz-mat suit with a clean air supply.

 

Good morning Snyper,

It was an inherent statement within the specific subject matter. Context is required to understand the point made. The context was present in the SCMP article.

As far as explicit accuracy goes, some viruses can be carried on small dust particles commingled with large dust particles.

 

Yes, I read that context.
That's how I know what it really said.

Exactly, which means they will be trapped by the filters 95% of the time for an N95 type respirator.

 

There are many of them like that now.
This one is getting a lot of coverage because it's new.