How do I know if a mask is good enough?
January 28, 2021 6:37 AM Subscribe
Yet another Covid mask question - I have a reusable non-cloth mask with filters and I’m wondering if it is good enough to meet the new recommendations that everyone should be wearing N95s or equivalent.
I have a particular brand of reusable mask with filters. I’m wondering if it meets the new recommendations that everyone should be wearing N95s or equivalent. I’m also wondering if there is any independent way to verify that it’s good, or simple home tests I can do. The mask website states that it is rated down to 0.1 micron (100 nanometers) and that independent testing found for light breathing and 0.1 μm particles, the samples performed between 99.6% and 97.9% efficiency, with an average of 98.9%. For 0.3 μm particles, the samples performed between 100% and 98.9% efficiency, with an average of 99.6%.
For heavy breathing and 0.1 μm particles, the samples performed between 99.0% and 94.7% efficiency, with an average of 97.6%. For 0.3 μm particles, the samples performed between 100% and 95.8% efficiency, with an average of 98.1% (note some erratic measurements in the 0.3 μm size range visible in Figure 4).
The manufacturer says that “Industry-standard NaCl particle testing was performed at the University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering”. They are working on NIOSH certification but don’t have it yet. I’ve googled for reviews and didn’t find much, though it did win an award from Time Magazine for best inventions.
The mask has a tight fit to my face and definitely blocks pollen, dust, and mold. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and I am hoping this mask is probably better than a cloth mask with a filter?
I have a particular brand of reusable mask with filters. I’m wondering if it meets the new recommendations that everyone should be wearing N95s or equivalent. I’m also wondering if there is any independent way to verify that it’s good, or simple home tests I can do. The mask website states that it is rated down to 0.1 micron (100 nanometers) and that independent testing found for light breathing and 0.1 μm particles, the samples performed between 99.6% and 97.9% efficiency, with an average of 98.9%. For 0.3 μm particles, the samples performed between 100% and 98.9% efficiency, with an average of 99.6%.
For heavy breathing and 0.1 μm particles, the samples performed between 99.0% and 94.7% efficiency, with an average of 97.6%. For 0.3 μm particles, the samples performed between 100% and 95.8% efficiency, with an average of 98.1% (note some erratic measurements in the 0.3 μm size range visible in Figure 4).
The manufacturer says that “Industry-standard NaCl particle testing was performed at the University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering”. They are working on NIOSH certification but don’t have it yet. I’ve googled for reviews and didn’t find much, though it did win an award from Time Magazine for best inventions.
The mask has a tight fit to my face and definitely blocks pollen, dust, and mold. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and I am hoping this mask is probably better than a cloth mask with a filter?
This video might answer some of your questions.
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:44 AM on January 28, 2021
posted by Obscure Reference at 6:44 AM on January 28, 2021
I assume you are in the USA lacking any information to the contrary.
There is no recommendation for members of the general public use N95 masks. The recommendation is that the general public avoid N95 masks and use cloth masks.
posted by saeculorum at 6:46 AM on January 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
There is no recommendation for members of the general public use N95 masks. The recommendation is that the general public avoid N95 masks and use cloth masks.
posted by saeculorum at 6:46 AM on January 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
The doctor's office will probably give you a surgical mask when you arrive (at least mine did in a visit last year). I would put it on top of your other mask rather than wearing the surgical mask alone. You've probably seen that some people are recommending double-masking as an alternative to N95s.
posted by pinochiette at 6:56 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by pinochiette at 6:56 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
Excellent question.
CDC List of Approved N95 Manufacturers
Breathe99 is not on that list.
You can't home test.
posted by Dashy at 6:57 AM on January 28, 2021
CDC List of Approved N95 Manufacturers
Breathe99 is not on that list.
You can't home test.
posted by Dashy at 6:57 AM on January 28, 2021
I can't speak to the relative quality of different cloth mask/filter combinations, but the CDC is not recommending that the general public wear N95 masks on a regular basis. The new CDC director was just on CNN last night to reiterate that.
posted by fancypants at 7:07 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by fancypants at 7:07 AM on January 28, 2021 [1 favorite]
Best answer: So there's two main aspects to evaluating a mask. (1) is how good the filtration of the mask material is, and it sounds like that mask has tested well there. Yes, it's not certified (yet), but we're in the middle of a pandemic and a lot of things aren't certified, including your alternative mask option. Given that your options are this mask (which the manufacturer has provided testing results for) vs. a cloth mask (for which there are no testing results of any kind), it seems like a safe guess that this mask would win.
(2) is how good the fit on your particular face is. You can have the best mask material in the world, but if it's gaping open at the sides, it's not going to do its job effectively. There are a lot of tutorials online for "user seal checking," which is something you can do at home, along with instructions for actual fit testing, which you probably can't do at home unless you live with someone who does that and have saccharine solution available.
Final questions: Can you breathe in it? And does it have an exhaust valve? If so, the risk posed to others means it's not acceptable unless you add filtration to the valve or block it off somehow.
posted by pie ninja at 7:12 AM on January 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
(2) is how good the fit on your particular face is. You can have the best mask material in the world, but if it's gaping open at the sides, it's not going to do its job effectively. There are a lot of tutorials online for "user seal checking," which is something you can do at home, along with instructions for actual fit testing, which you probably can't do at home unless you live with someone who does that and have saccharine solution available.
Final questions: Can you breathe in it? And does it have an exhaust valve? If so, the risk posed to others means it's not acceptable unless you add filtration to the valve or block it off somehow.
posted by pie ninja at 7:12 AM on January 28, 2021 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Plenty of extremely reputable experts are recommending either N95s or double masking. I’m not waiting for the CDC and FDA to state this given how slow they’ve been for the last year.
Pie ninja, thank you for answering my actual question.
posted by john_snow at 11:42 AM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]
Pie ninja, thank you for answering my actual question.
posted by john_snow at 11:42 AM on January 28, 2021 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by john_snow at 6:37 AM on January 28, 2021