Please recommend masks for covid-19 protection

January 14, 2021 8:36 AM

I just read this article this morning saying we should be wearing better masks to protect from covid-19 and the newer variants.

I am really confused with what's out there, and am having trouble sifting through the information. Can you please recommend reliable brands/stores on the types of masks we should be wearing when we go to indoor places like grocery stores? Also, can these masks be re-used, and if so, how many times?

posted by toastyk to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

Masks can be reused as long as they're not visibly soiled and/or bent out of shape such that they're not really effectively providing a seal. Hospitals have had success with using five masks per week (one each workday) with the rationale that it will take about five days for the virus to die. Not sure about brand, as we are mostly not in a place to be too picky about brand at this point - but simply wearing a mask will make a difference.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 8:41 AM on January 14, 2021

N95s are the gold standard if you're in the US, and at this point the supply chain is unfucked enough that you can probably acquire some. Agree with gemutlichkeit about letting them sit for about a week between re-uses. We put ours on the sill of a sunlit window, but I'm not sure that actually helps too much, since the glass probably blocks a lot of UV.
posted by Alterscape at 8:56 AM on January 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

Not only are N95s way better than normal masks, I also find them much more comfortable. I don't want to go back.

N99s or N100s are better but 100x the price, and less comfortable. I'd stick with N95s!
posted by bbqturtle at 9:05 AM on January 14, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks for the info so far. Not going to keep commenting, but, I keep seeing KN95s being advertised...those are NOT the same as regular N95s, correct?
posted by toastyk at 9:17 AM on January 14, 2021

I've been buying (on prior MeFi rec) these specific N95 masks from Protectly. I agree with bbqturtle that N95s are SO much more comfortable than normal masks. I have to go to physical therapy 2-3x a week and it's a very smelly place with all the scented massage creams and sanitizing products. When I have one of these masks on, I smell nothing. Zero. If I break the seal around my face even a tiny bit, I'm shocked at the strong odor. They're expensive but I get several uses out of each one and frankly I don't even care about the cost at this point because I feel so much more protected. I tried some other masks from the same outfit but went back to these because of the superior fit.
posted by HotToddy at 9:19 AM on January 14, 2021 [10 favorites]

Correct, toastyk. KN95s are, in theory, similar to N95s but manufactured to overseas standards. That by itself isn't a huge problem (folks overseas have standards too) but there's a lot of counterfeit stuff out there, and I suspect the supply chain for N95s is much more tightly monitored, so I go with NIOSH N95s. I got mine from Global Industrial Supply, but HotToddy's recommended set looks much more comfortable (as with most things from Global, the masks I got are probably the most economical variety available).
posted by Alterscape at 9:22 AM on January 14, 2021

N95 are the US standard masks and K95 is the Chinese standard, most people consider them “ essentially equivalent", if you want all the nitty gritty details, here's a very specific comparison chart.
posted by jeremias at 9:23 AM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

I get KF94s, which are the Korean version / up to Korean standards. Here is a published journal article (admittedly, of a small sample) finding that KF94s seem to work about as well as N95s even in blocking coughs from known-positive COVID patients. There's also the anecdote about the asymptomatic COVID-positive guy who sat in a Korean cafe without a mask for like 2 hours; several other patrons were infected but none of the staff, who were there with him for the entire 2 hours but were wearing KF94 masks the whole time (this story is actually what prompted me to switch from homemade masks to KF94s).

As far as cost and sourcing, they should be about $1.50 to $3 per mask if you buy packs of 10 or more. I get mine on Amazon and am not particularly concerned about counterfeiting, but if you have access to a Korean market they may sell some there that you can be more certain about (of course then you're going into a store). I don't switch mine out as often as I should, but for that price you could easily open a new one every week and/or have a series of 3-4 open ones so you can let each one sit for a week or more after use.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 10:20 AM on January 14, 2021 [5 favorites]

A well-fitting n95. You should be able to bend over, stretch your arms over your head, talk, laugh, turn your head from side to side and up and down, without breaking the seal. They are more comfortable in that they don't budge but if you are going to be somewhere for hours at a time you will want something lighter.
posted by pintapicasso at 10:27 AM on January 14, 2021

I bought these KN95s and they seem well made. But I still wear a good cloth mask (one with two layers of fabric and filter and a good seal) most of the time.
posted by pinochiette at 10:38 AM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

The super-concise version:

Medical-grade masks: blocks pathogens and is also droplet resistant (important to protect against sneezes and bodily fluids), usually single-use only. We civvies don't need them.

N95 masks -- really for industrial use, blocks 95% of particulates, can be used for medical purposes in an emergency when nothing else is available, does NOT have droplet protection unless specified otherwise. 3M makes most of these. They can be expensive, so there are some counterfeits out there, but mostly in Asia.

KN95 masks -- Chinese version of N95, basically, but people seem to distrust Chinese ratings. And there are some fakes out there, but generally the fake ones are counterfeit 3M masks and respirators. KN95 masks are affordable and available.

single-use non-medical masks -- most masks you find locally are of this grade, comes 50 to a box, etc. and comes in a variety of colors. Probably 50 for $15 (or less now) They are meant to be single-use, but as long as you didn't get them too dirty, it should be okay to re-use them after you sanitize it and leave it for 24-48 hours.

Cloth masks -- made of various material, some even have pockets for carbon filters. NON-medical grade, of course. You can even make them at home. Filter packs are sold on Amazon. the masks themselves can be washed in the washer.

I personally bought reusables off Amazon, and it has a filter pocket, and single-use disposable non-medicals off Woot, which is a part of Amazon. I also sometimes wear my Slick Gaiters, which also has a pocket for filter and a nose piece so I can wear glasses without them fogging up too badly.
posted by kschang at 11:41 AM on January 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Fit can drastically vary between manufacturers and designs. The normal N95 masks, with a "cup" design, seem all designed for large wide faces (ie: Caucasian blue-collar male) and don't conform to smaller or minority faces (poor N95 fit for female/Asian healthcare workers).

KN95s (China) and KF94s (Korea) are designed for their own populations and can fit those facial shapes better. Korea seems to have the most mature mask-producing industry and they're available in different sizes (small, medium, large), as well as designs that are better designed for talking (the "boat" design, horizontal pleats expand with your jaw). KN95s seem to be predominantly a single design with a vertical fold, which are cheaper and easier to produce but are less-good for conversation.

However, designs are not directly connected to standards. There is a 3M N95 "boat" design (Aura) that I've seen politicians and health care workers use and I assume is sales restricted. There are also N95s that have a vertical fold, like an KN95, as well as horizontal fold "duckbill" N95 designs.

The EU equivalent is FFP2 or FFP3 for N95 and N99, but those are harder to find in the US.

I like headstrap designs as I have a big head and earloops hurt my ears after a while.

Non-disposable respirators ("elastomeric") will protect you too, but cleaning and handling becomes an issue. Also it seems like health care has started to use these so the filters are in very short supply and expensive.

Bona Fide Masks imports KN95s and they have the rare headstrap models that is my baseline
Zoro is the consumer/internet arm of industrial supply giant Grainger and everything should be legit, but stock varies
Be Healthy USA I think is the official importer for many of the Korean brands - they have a good mix and match deal because they have so many different brands and models
Masklab is a Hong Kong company that's importing FFP1/FFP2 masks, but fashionable
posted by meowzilla at 11:44 AM on January 14, 2021 [19 favorites]

There are also masks that have been tested by Nelson labs. (I only have direct personal experience with Happy Masks though).
posted by oceano at 11:45 AM on January 14, 2021

The pocketed cloth masks with replaceable filters feel like bad early-pandemic "panic" designs and also cater to the "disposable = bad" crowd. I would recommend against them. The filters themselves might be N95 "type" material, but they never reach the edges of the mask. So air goes the path of least resistance, and that would be around the more restrictive filter.

The separate filters cost as much as a full KN95 mask, and in many designs they are going to bunch up and fit the mask incorrectly. Also replacing or adjusting the filter contributes to more touching the mask and contamination. The mask itself is an additional cost.

The only good one I've seen is the Envo mask which uses silicone(?) to actually seal against your face, instead of just fabric. But expensive to buy and maintain.
posted by meowzilla at 12:09 PM on January 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

Here's a recent article in the New York Times about double masking and other mask info.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:31 PM on January 14, 2021 [2 favorites]

OMG I really wish people would stop spreading the misinformation that disposable masks can be reused. They are not designed for this and will degrade significantly over time. Please, I am begging everyone, stop wearing your filthy, crumpled up masks. Unless you are in a position of absolute desperation, eg in a healthcare facility where supplies are extremely low and this is your only option, you should not even be thinking about reusing disposable masks.
posted by Acheman at 5:56 AM on January 15, 2021 [2 favorites]

If anyone is curious about the CDC's take on reusing disposable N95 masks: basically, a maximum of five times and ONLY if you're being very careful about how you handle it and if you know how to check for wear. Most of us probably aren't handling them that well and don't know how to check to see if they're still safe to use.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:05 AM on January 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

Here's a recent scientific paper on cloth masks/material (they conclude cotton is best, and cotton flannel is the best of the cottons).
posted by gudrun at 6:56 PM on January 18, 2021