(copy-and-pasting my comment elsewhere in this story, because this is important) N95 masks (and other types of HEPA filters) actually perform better on smaller

(copy-and-pasting my comment elsewhere in this story, because this is important) N95 masks (and other types of HEPA filters) actually perform better on smaller particles. A very common misconception is that HEPA filters only filter particles larger than 0.3 microns. In fact there's multiple different filtration mechanisms at play, with interception and impaction working better for larger particles, and diffusion being more effective for smaller particles. HEPA filters are rated for their effectiveness at 0.3 microns because that size is the size where the combination of mechanisms operate worst: smaller and larger particles are filtered even more effectively. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEPA#Mechanism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEPA#Mechanism