Yes, Airwasher is hard to find. Scroll through both sites I linked and look for the brands I mentioned. They’re all Aaron Collins tested and approved masks and sources.
I have an average size face for a woman. My business partner and spouse feel that they are too tight but wear them when we have surges like now.
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This is what I found about D95, apparently some Australian standard:
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This is a timely & wonderful thread. I had trouble finding masks I wanted in stock, but I finally found some Korean style respirators at Masklab US (the masks were recommended by Aaron Collins & I ordered through his link).
If you cant tolerate the N95 it looks like they are the same materials with an ear loop. For non medical use they are probably perfect.
I have been very happy with Bona Fide masks. They were recommended in the NY Times as legit.
https://bonafidemasks.com/face-masks/kn95-respirator-face-masks/
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I just checked the MASKC website and their KN95 masks are all sold out…all colors for adults.
Can you really not trust any masks purchased on Amazon? This is my usual mask which was bought on Amazon - I knot the ear loops for my narrow face and it fits snugly.
And last summer we got a box of KN95 half price from Woot which we are now using to grocery shop and such.
We never need to wear masks for extended periods and indoors only when shopping. But this thread now has me worried that these masks are no better than cloth? Should I be worried that we’re not really protected for our infrequent need?
This is an article written by Aaron Collins that was published just a couple of days ago.
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I trust Aaron Collins as he has the credentials and actually tested a ton of masks. Not many places are testing masks and posting the results.
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I just ordered 10 KN95 and 10 KF94 from Vida. Supposedly what I ordered was in stock.
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We are still going through the BYD Electronics masks we got from Costco eons ago. I never thought I would go through that large stash by the end of the pandemic… our seal test is Mr. B’s glasses - no fog, good seal. Good enough for a quick grocery store run!
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I just bought a bunch of boxes in time to give them away as Christmas presents (don’t ask me the manufacturer because their site disappeared just as soon as the masks arrived - they all had the NiOSH language and “Made In America” labels, though.) I have the same foggy eyeglasses problem with the blue surgical masks. But, you’re right; the N95 head loops make a huge difference.
I greatly prefer head loop masks. Don’t need to have sore ears or masks that won’t stay put. I don’t care if my hair is missed.
I’ve been trying to think how to say something without being too cagey. I consider myself an expert (somewhat) in this area and don’t want to give fodder to misinformation/anti-maskers/anti-vaxxers. I am 100% pro-masking and vaccinating.
My qualifications include diagnosing multiple of the following every day for 30 years in the lungs:
infections (coronavirus, PCP, adenovirus, Coccidiodes, crypococcus, aspergillus, CMV, TB, Histo, pseudomonas, Strongyloides, bacteria, worms, etc), autoimmune diseases, granulomatous inflammation (sarcoidosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis etc), pneumoconiosis, interstitial pneumonitis/fibrosis, alveolar proteinosis, DAD, ARDS, transplant rejection, AIP, drug reactions, LIP, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, UIP, etc and several hundred different benign and malignant epithelial, mesenchymal, lymphoid and other cancers, and both primary and metastatic disease. I have published my own original research in high impact factor peer-reviewed journals, several book chapters and am an international speaker. To be clear, I don’t test filtration percentages or anything at the oral area - instead I see something better - what happens in vivo in the lung following these preventive masking measures. I look at diseased tissue and determine etiology. And, as I said above, cloth masks provide 0 protection, surgical masks only slightly better than 0. And, as I said at the beginning of this paragraph, I won’t give specifics of what I see for the above reason in the first paragraph. I will simply tell you what I and my family do. We wear surgical masks provided by the hospital (I figure they have vetted appropriately) and Envo in high risk situations. And I am immunocompromised.
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I’m not sure I understand your point. Are surgical masks supposed to protect against lung cancer?
Absolutely not
I mentioned lots of other things
I see.
A bit tangential but last week I heard on the news that birds are getting their feet tangled in discarded masks and that everyone is encouraged to snip the ear or back of the head loops before throwing them away.
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I have been wearing the Powecom KN95 since January. I knot the ends of the ear loops to create a snug fit, but my adult sons wear them as they are produced. They are not a perfect fit because my glasses still fog, but they feel snug against my face, with the only gap at the bridge of my nose.
If you have not ordered from BonaFide masks before, note the CC charge reads Ball Chain Manufacturing. They are selling them in hot pink now, but I have so many in white that I will plow through those first.
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