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Nothing & Everything => Open Discussion => Topic started by: hans on January 31, 2021, 11:37:33 PM

Title: Face masks
Post by: hans on January 31, 2021, 11:37:33 PM
What's everyone rocking? I originally went for some Hanes ones early on and found a random Amazon one with a metal nose bit that wasn't so bad but the "adjustable" strings for the ears were a bit annoying. Lately I've been wearing an Adidas one that is probably the most comfortable so far.

Curious what others have tried.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: Jake on January 31, 2021, 11:44:18 PM
I hated all of them except for the disposable ones until I found some at duluth trading that are just awesome. They are nice and big and made well. Highly recommended.

https://www.duluthtrading.com/duluth-trading-3-pack-fire-hose-face-masks-24675.html

Also, Costco has nice black disposable masks that i always have as back up.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: ober on February 01, 2021, 12:00:17 AM
I'm still using the one my mother-in-law made last year, but lately I've been doubling up with a disposable behind it for the extra protection.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: micah on February 01, 2021, 12:02:54 AM
For a while (like, since October 2020) I was wearing the one my work gave me with our "SCA Pharma" company logo on it. But sometimes I just grab a cheap paper one for the sake of having something to put on when I need to run into a convenience store or something.  I havent really "invested" in a good mask that I like.  I'm fine with re-using a cheap paper mask for a while and washing the one I got from work (it should be noted, that I only got that one in October 2020 because I stopped into the office for the first time since March 2020 to get a flu shot and they gave me the mask and I haven't been back since.  Crazy!)

After all this time, I haven't really thought to look into buy a "good" mask thats comfortable to wear all day.  As a stay-at-home dad AND work-from-home employee, I only need to wear a mask for very short periods of time. So I just kinda use whatever is cheap and available.   I suppose it wouldn't hurt to start looking into buy something of good quality that is more comfortable to wear.

As of now, my biggest issues with masks is having to smell my own breath.  Its horrible LOL
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 01:55:45 AM
We (as in the US) are behind on people wearing good masks. It’s time to move away from the cloth masks, especially if you’re spending time indoors outside your bubble.

Best is a KN95 or KF94 or N95 (no valves of course). Next I think is a surgical mask (the blue ones), possibly double-masked with a nice looking cloth mask over it.

Getting the KN95s is hard though because there are fakes on Amazon and it’s hard to tell the difference. I’ve heard of you just get it from a hardware store or similar it’s more likely to be real. (Also if it has the FDA logo it’s probably fake.) We took our chances ordering from Amazon ($16 for a 10-pack) and have started to use those when grocery shopping. They’re ugly but do more to protect the wearer so I guess it’s worth it, especially as the new strains start making the rounds.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: Rob on February 01, 2021, 06:41:31 AM
Interesting takes in this thread, especially regarding protection. I always thought that masks are less about protecting yourself from the virus, and more about protecting other people by catching virus containing droplets from your exhaled breath.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 09:27:07 AM
Yeah that’s right, at least with the cloth masks.

At first people were like “don’t wear masks” because they didn’t want folks to use up scarce resources needed by health care professionals. But then they realized that cloth masks would be helpful to protect others (as it turns out they’re very helpful for that), so they started recommending everyone wear cloth masks. But the higher quality masks still do more than just protect others.

And now that we don’t have as much shortage of those higher quality masks, regular folks can and should start using those to get dual protection.

I’m not actually 100% sure there’s no shortage but since these KN95 and KF94 masks are available and almost as good as the N95s that health care folks use then I think it’s safe to get them if you can.

Honestly I don’t know why governments didn’t invest is mass production of these high quality masks and make them available to the public for free. That investment probably would have saved a lot more money than it cost and would have saved lives too.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: jkim on February 01, 2021, 09:37:52 AM
I'm just wearing surgical masks that I get at work.

Apparently Razer came out with a mask that's going to be required for gamers when they return to in-person tournaments. It looks very expensive. https://www.razer.com/concepts/razer-project-hazel
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: micah on February 01, 2021, 10:41:50 AM
Apparently Razer came out with a mask that's going to be required for gamers when they return to in-person tournaments. It looks very expensive. https://www.razer.com/concepts/razer-project-hazel
that looks pretty sweet.  It just occurred to me that the part with the mic and speaker could be integrated with realtime translation software which has seen enormous advances in the past few years.  Universal Translators!
It seems like a dystopian sci-fi to predict some day we al just wear masks like that all the time...but I bet there could be a lot of cool perks and tech packed in over time.  (like maybe an AR heads up display?  Seems easy enough to force-perspective project that on to the users normal eyewear.  right?

These are billion dollar ideas people.  get on it!
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 02:11:17 PM
Just saw this article that talks about double-masks, surgical masks, N95s, etc: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/skbaer/double-masking-coronavirus-variants

The hardest thing for me is getting one that fits without air coming up through the top. Maybe I just have a big ass nose. Still, we are lucky enough to not have to work indoors with other people so it doesn't bother me too much if mine aren't perfect.

Apparently Razer came out with a mask that's going to be required for gamers when they return to in-person tournaments. It looks very expensive. https://www.razer.com/concepts/razer-project-hazel

I think cool fancy masks are great and I wished they came along earlier. At this point I'm hoping we're only ~6-8 months away from normalcy so I'm not sure I'm gonna spend money on something like that. Maybe for the next pandemic they'll be ready, though.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: ober on February 01, 2021, 03:29:36 PM
I'll be honest, I don't expect mask-wearing to go away in 6-8 months.  And I suspect some of the current practices to be part of the new normal.  Just sayin.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 04:01:25 PM
Yeah.. that's a good question. If the vaccines help squash the virus to the point where we're not seeing any new cases in most places, will people still wear masks? I'm leaning no.

I mean, eating at a restaurant indoors is one of the first things I'm going to be doing when case counts are down to zero and if we're eating indoors there's basically no point to masks anyway. But it's all just a guess with a dash of hope.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: Jake on February 01, 2021, 04:44:21 PM
Restaurants started opening here in the past few weeks. We ate at a local one on Friday and it felt weirdly glorious! Every other table was blocked off but other than that it was back to normal.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: hans on February 01, 2021, 05:02:44 PM
I really miss restaurants. I mean we didn't go all that often but I really want to now.


Also, micah, uhm, gum? ;)
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 05:10:19 PM
Restaurants started opening here in the past few weeks. We ate at a local one on Friday and it felt weirdly glorious! Every other table was blocked off but other than that it was back to normal.

I can't wait to do that either and I know I'm lucky to live in a place where outdoor dining can still happen in the winter, but...

This is really dumb. People should not be eating indoors. Unless you have zero cases for a couple weeks straight or have some space-age ventilation, indoor dining is a huge cause of the spread of the disease. I simply do not understand government officials that allow indoor dining.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: micah on February 01, 2021, 06:35:25 PM
Also, micah, uhm, gum? ;)

 :lol: I should try that I suppose. LOL. I guess the real problem for me is the fogging glasses issue, its the worst, especially in cold weather.

Speaking of gum though, early on, I used to use mints - like those really strong ones - and when you breath out and it goes up into your eyes, it literally BURNS!  Like whatever mentholated minty chemical you're exhales will make your eyes water!
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: ober on February 01, 2021, 07:07:25 PM
Yeah.. that's a good question. If the vaccines help squash the virus to the point where we're not seeing any new cases in most places, will people still wear masks? I'm leaning no.
My sister has been a nurse for years and just got vaccinated (second shot 2 weeks ago).  I asked her if it changes anything for her.  She said no.  Just because YOU can't get it, you can still carry it.  That makes you just as dangerous to others still as before.  So for that reason alone, I hope people continue to wear masks until there is a massive reduction in new cases.  Like approaching zero.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 01, 2021, 07:56:41 PM
Yeah.. that's a good question. If the vaccines help squash the virus to the point where we're not seeing any new cases in most places, will people still wear masks? I'm leaning no.
My sister has been a nurse for years and just got vaccinated (second shot 2 weeks ago).  I asked her if it changes anything for her.  She said no.  Just because YOU can't get it, you can still carry it.  That makes you just as dangerous to others still as before.  So for that reason alone, I hope people continue to wear masks until there is a massive reduction in new cases.  Like approaching zero.

100% agreed.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: jkim on February 03, 2021, 10:19:09 AM
People should not be eating indoors. Unless you have zero cases for a couple weeks straight or have some space-age ventilation, indoor dining is a huge cause of the spread of the disease. I simply do not understand government officials that allow indoor dining.

But that means government officials would have to support measures that support those business owners and something something capitalism.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: micah on February 03, 2021, 11:45:17 AM
is there actually proof that "indoor dining is a huge cause of the spread of the disease?" (i'm not disagreeing, i could google it i suppose).

I mean, I don't do it...i think maybe 3 or 4 times since last march... but those times I've eaten out, tables were way spaced out, restaurants take so much abundance of caution, servers wear masks and sanitize their hands all the time... menus are sanitized or in some cases switched to disposable paper menus.  If the guidelines are being followed and parties are staying 6 feet away and wearing masks when they're not seated....is the risk any greater than going to super market or the pharmacy?

Again, I don't doubt that the more people are out in public the higher the risk...but I my intuition feels like dining isn't the greatest threat to America right now.
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: charlie on February 03, 2021, 11:58:34 AM
is there actually proof that "indoor dining is a huge cause of the spread of the disease?" (i'm not disagreeing, i could google it i suppose).

Yes.


Tables being spaced out doesn't do much if you're indoors. The virus is spread through the air. The initial belief that it is only in droplets that fall to the ground within six feet was wrong, and that has been known since very early on. The CDC was slow to update their guidance but eventually did last fall.

There have been many tracing studies that show how workers or people in restaurants were infected by someone who was way across the room. Any time spent indoors where you're sharing the air is dangerous.

Wearing masks helps this a lot. So working in a building while everyone is wearing a mask is a lot less risk than without masks. But when eating in a restaurant, you take off your mask. You're also talking a lot when eating in a restaurant. Talking, singing, coughing and things like that expel viral particles much more than simple breathing. So that's two problems with indoor dining that make it even worse than other reasons people end up indoors.


The sad thing is that we've known that airborne transmission was super important for a really long time, but the official guidance has been so lacking that people still worry ten times more about sanitizing surfaces than about proper ventilation. Plane flights are less risky than other public transportation because they have such great air filtration and recycling already. If we had been working on improving that in restaurants starting ten months ago maybe they would be safer. But the leadership everywhere has just been so lacking. It's extremely frustrating and literally hundreds of thousands of people all over the world have died because of it.  :(
Title: Re: Face masks
Post by: micah on February 03, 2021, 12:18:13 PM
Ah thanks for that better explanation.
See, I knew I didn't disagree with you -- it just wasn't squaring right in my head because, apparently I stopped learning about the guidelines last summer because...well fuck this virus, i'm sick of it.