Look the same but fit a little tighter.
My kids hate them, they think too tight
Only lung pathologists are qualified to make that statement.
Some cloth masks are fairly well fitted, though filtration is not that good. But from there comes the idea of wearing one over a surgical mask (with better filtration) to force the side gaps in the surgical mask closed.
To tighten the ear loops, can you keep twisting them until the twisted part takes up enough of the slack?
yes but with the blue ones, the mask then gets all bunched up and I’m constantly pulling on it. I have to wear one all day at work starting tomorrow again and not looking forward to it. Anything I can do to make the experience more comfortable is a good thing. A good handful of the kids I see at school are not vaccinated and none will be boosted by tomorrow.
I wear a surgical mask which is too big- I have the same problem with the ear loops not holding the mask in place. I put an adjustable 3 ply mask with a filter over the surgical mask and it seems to work. It helps keep the gaps closed, but I guess it’s not perfect (because it’s cloth).
I just ordered 60 kn95 masks from Amazon. I work in a pre-K to grade 5 school where about 30% of the kids are vaccinated.
It’s going to spread even more in the schools. Kids are masked, but masks are always falling, they eat snack and lunch in class, and they are all over one another at recess.
Is this what you are looking for?
Note that the article above deals with reusing masks with or without sterilization. There seems to be some degradation of the fibers with time according to the findings. With PPE shortages behind us, no one will wear the same mask for 720 hours (test time used in the article).
Images A-C are junk, I see that in specimens from all over the body (cytology and surgical specimens from the scalp to the toes). Sometimes it’s pollen that’s sitting on the slides or bath water or in or staining material. They’re not saying what stains they’re using (Pap, H&E most common) but that stuff is artifact. D and E look like macrophages with anthracotic material or hemosiderin, depending on the stain, but again I can’t tell where this stuff is, but junk. The last image I have never seen before, and I see plenty of crystals and fibers, +/- birefringent and polarizable. It’s a glob of something, non fiber material. Non-filamentous. So globby, doesn’t look fine and something that you would be able to inhale. Not food particles either. Not med-surg material or drug particle.
I’m not worried about anything in those images - they won’t produce lung disease.
Thanks for pointing that out. I’ve seen some old, nasty looking, dirty masks worn into my office.
With all due respect, my reply was to tavern girl and I asked if that was the information she was looking for. I am not looking for peer review on the article.
Article’s conclusion: “Nonetheless, the use of masks is crucial during the pandemic scenario even though they might contribute some microplastics inhalation, it is minor problem as compared with protecting humans from COVID-19.” Seems clear to me.
@eyemgh thank you do you see any of these KN 94s actually in stock anywhere?
Let me try again. Grabbed the Korean links. Oops!
thx so much!
Thank you!! I ordered from VIDA a couple of days ago. I ordered both KN95 and KF94. Got an email supposedly that the KN95 have shipped.
I’m also thinking that judging from the pictures, the KF94 might fit better. We will see!
Somewhere (I actually dont remember where, lol), I acquired this mask and it is so comfortable! No markings on it whatsoever but it seals well (little problem indoors with glasses), and I can wear it for a long time without discomfort. I have scoured the Internet, lol, and can’t find anything close. Does this look familiar to anyone?
I am back in my office today wearing a tight fighting KN95 for the first time since the summer and not at all happy about it. My ears are killing me. Not sure that the difference between them and the KF94 is worth while since I forget I am wearing the KF94 so I am not taking it off between patients. I do not know how my colleagues are wearing real N95s all day long.
My understanding is that N95s fit around the head and not the ears and that is the main reason they can afford to fit more snugly than the KN95.
That is correct,but they are very very snug around the face and nose, they cause less issues with the ears but friction marks on the face. I have my KN95 off as I am between patients to save both my ears and my nasal bridge. My urgent care and inpatient colleagues cant do that.