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I only buy N95 masks with valves from 3M. The CDC approved N95 respirators with valves in spring 2021 as being safe for others. 3M masks are made in the USA.

I only buy N95 masks with valves from 3M. The CDC approved N95 respirators with valves in spring 2021 as being safe for others. 3M masks are made in the USA. I have 500 right now and plan on keeping them even after the pandemic. Just in case.

orangepurple 5y ago
I hope you keep them in a temperature and humidity controlled environment or you will get biological growth on them in a hurry
- drjasonharrison 5y ago
  They are usually sealed in plastic bags...
ghshephard 5y ago
But those masks with respirator valves need surgical tape over the valves to provide any type of source protection (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2021-107/pdfs/2021-107.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2021107 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2021-107/pdfs/2021-107.pdf?id...) - which seems like a pain to me. I'd rather just use a breathable N95.
- baskethead 5y ago
  You read that report wrong. That report states that even without anything, an N95 mask will give better protection that simple wearing a medical mask, like what most people are approved to wear right now. So an N95 mask with exhalation valve is better than anything, including medical mask, except for a completely sealed N95 mask. But since a completely sealed N95 mask isn't the standard we need to reach, we only need to reach the level of medical mask which gives more than enough protection, a valved respirator is safe. That's exactly what the report states.
  - ghshephard 5y ago
    I've always considered surgical masks to be partially pandemic theater, particularly once we discovered how aerosol driven SARS-CoV-2 is. Great for preventing the exhalation of fomites, but not particularly guaranteed at anything airborne, such as Omicron. So much air moves around the edges - There is a reason why medical professionals don't rely on unbraced Surgical Masks for personal protection in an airborne respiratory ward. My guess, based on what we know about low-micron aerosol transmission, that anybody walking around with a valved respirator/surgical mask and infected with Omicron, is potentially infecting anyone unmasked around them. But - with that said, I did learn from you that valved respirators aren't horrible - but I should look at someone wearing one in the same way I would look at someone with a surgical mask. I'm also dubious as to whether N95 masks are doing as much as people think they are - breathability is key factor that needs to be considered - unless all of your inhalation and exhalation is passing through the mask, once again it's not doing/protecting what you think it is, despite how tightly fit it is, and the fact that on a NaCl 3 micron bench test it's rated at 99.9x% effective.

orangepurple 5y ago

I hope you keep them in a temperature and humidity controlled environment or you will get biological growth on them in a hurry

drjasonharrison 5y ago
They are usually sealed in plastic bags...

ghshephard 5y ago

But those masks with respirator valves need surgical tape over the valves to provide any type of source protection (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2021-107/pdfs/2021-107.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2021107 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2021-107/pdfs/2021-107.pdf?id...) - which seems like a pain to me. I'd rather just use a breathable N95.

baskethead 5y ago
You read that report wrong. That report states that even without anything, an N95 mask will give better protection that simple wearing a medical mask, like what most people are approved to wear right now. So an N95 mask with exhalation valve is better than anything, including medical mask, except for a completely sealed N95 mask. But since a completely sealed N95 mask isn't the standard we need to reach, we only need to reach the level of medical mask which gives more than enough protection, a valved respirator is safe. That's exactly what the report states.
- ghshephard 5y ago
  I've always considered surgical masks to be partially pandemic theater, particularly once we discovered how aerosol driven SARS-CoV-2 is. Great for preventing the exhalation of fomites, but not particularly guaranteed at anything airborne, such as Omicron. So much air moves around the edges - There is a reason why medical professionals don't rely on unbraced Surgical Masks for personal protection in an airborne respiratory ward. My guess, based on what we know about low-micron aerosol transmission, that anybody walking around with a valved respirator/surgical mask and infected with Omicron, is potentially infecting anyone unmasked around them. But - with that said, I did learn from you that valved respirators aren't horrible - but I should look at someone wearing one in the same way I would look at someone with a surgical mask. I'm also dubious as to whether N95 masks are doing as much as people think they are - breathability is key factor that needs to be considered - unless all of your inhalation and exhalation is passing through the mask, once again it's not doing/protecting what you think it is, despite how tightly fit it is, and the fact that on a NaCl 3 micron bench test it's rated at 99.9x% effective.