N95 or kf 94 or kn95 masks ?

[Paa Langfart]

Read an op/ed by an assistant proffessor of public health advocating for everyone to start upping their masking to one of the above.  Thus far I have just been using a standard cloth face covering.  Going onto amazon there are a lot of different choices - and a lot of different prices ranges.   Just wondering what other members are using and where they are purchasing them.

op-ed

Opinion | Everyone needs N95 masks now. But here are the best alternatives. - The Washington Post

[CRA]

I largely use cloth masks when not at work.  I don't really go anywhere though.  Grocery store, pharmacy, Lowes.  That's about it.  At work I use the one and done surgical style since they supply them. 

n95 are hard to find.  I might upgrade to kn95.  I see a lot of them.  Think Fauci was talking about it today too.  Or someone in government was talking about needing to double up/upgrade. 

I do think there is this weird window where people don't realize we are currently in the worst window of this entire mess right now.    Lot of people got their guard down with vaccine's hitting arms and given the general fatigue setting in.  The amount of people I know that have it or have had it since Nov/Dec is bonkers. 

[Davidson Deac II]

I was able to get some N95 on amazon fairly easily.  

[Raskle]

just for consideration, the CDC advises against N95 masks for anyone not working in healthcare:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

 

I'll stick with my cloth mask. It's done alright, although I hardly go anywhere too.

[Khyber53]

Sticking with cloth, but staying out of the line of fire for the most part. Save the supply of the strong stuff for the frontline folks.

[Anybodyhome]

I maintain a limited inventory of N95s on the job, but we locked those up. We keep them for use as part of the job and if we wore them daily, I don't know I'd be able to get any when we need them for the true reason they were purchased.

We're using both cloth and a blue surgical style made for people working in the electronics manufacturing industry. Some of my people are wearing the cloth over the surgical.

[Paa Langfart]

from what little online research I have done the kf94 and the kn95 masks are made in S Korea and China.  They really do not put a crimp in the ability of health care workers to get the N 95's.  The CDC also has info on their website about which masks they have tested andetc.  

 

International Assessment Results | NPPTL | NIOSH | CDC

I don't go hardly anywhere myself.  I do not go into stores unless absolutely necessary - I order everything online and groceries I get by online order - pick up in the parking lot.  But this past week I had to take a vehicle in for a long overdue oil change and pick up some supplies at the local Tractor Supply in the parking lot.  Friggin dumb asses going into the TS store maskless, store employees bringing my goods out maskless.  Then I had to go into the auto shop to pay for my vehicle - sign on the door said masks required, I go inside and of course the employees are NOT wearing masks.  Finally the guys at the liquor store are basically shoulder to shoulder out in the parking lot yucking it up with random customers ( everyone maskless of course ), then the abc employees pull up a useless gaiter mask when they re-enter the store I have to go inside in order to pay.   With the new more contagious strains I think it is time to up my protection level where I can.

Edited January 27, 2021 by Paa Langfart

[Khyber53]

16 hours ago, Paa Langfart said:

from what little online research I have done the kf94 and the kn95 masks are made in S Korea and China.  They really do not put a crimp in the ability of health care workers to get the N 95's.  The CDC also has info on their website about which masks they have tested andetc.  

 

International Assessment Results | NPPTL | NIOSH | CDC

I don't go hardly anywhere myself.  I do not go into stores unless absolutely necessary - I order everything online and groceries I get by online order - pick up in the parking lot.  But this past week I had to take a vehicle in for a long overdue oil change and pick up some supplies at the local Tractor Supply in the parking lot.  Friggin dumb asses going into the TS store maskless, store employees bringing my goods out maskless.  Then I had to go into the auto shop to pay for my vehicle - sign on the door said masks required, I go inside and of course the employees are NOT wearing masks.  Finally the guys at the liquor store are basically shoulder to shoulder out in the parking lot yucking it up with random customers ( everyone maskless of course ), then the abc employees pull up a useless gaiter mask when they re-enter the store I have to go inside in order to pay.   With the new more contagious strains I think it is time to up my protection level where I can.

We are our own worst enemies here in the US. 

[Daly]

I don’t really wear masks unless I’m asked to but I’ll wear the cheap one 

[Paa Langfart]

I got some of these.  They appear to be

 

cheap and high quality

Amazon.com: KN95 - 5 Layer Face Mask (10 pcs) – Included on FDA EUA List - Filtration>95% with Comfortable Elastic Ear Loop | Non-Woven Polypropylene Fabric, Protection for Essential Workers: Clothing

[Goondal]

My wife and I are FL teachers so our dips hit governor forced us back in to crowded classrooms and we were unable to get n95 anywhere at the time.  We tried different masks and settled on the KN95, which we have worn for most of the pandemic.  They seem like they fit well and are really good masks.  They did always seem difficult to fit perfectly around the nose.  We also have the regular surgical ones when we go out and know that we are not going to be doing much interacting with others so we can save the good ones for work.

Recently got some n95 finally.  If nothing else they are far more comfortable, but they also fit the face incredibly well, even over the nose.  I am not a scientist but the N95 seems like it would work better than the KN, and the KN seems that it would work better than any other I have seen or tried.