While preparing for my first international travel since 2019, my own respirator (masking) research has identified the 3 following items as better than most of the masks currently being sold.
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Breathe Freely - BROAD AirPro Mask Reusable Air Purifying Respirator with HEPA Filter broadfreshair.com/products/... a positive pressure air supply mask- like is used in industrial hazardous environments. Battery powered and rechargeable with a USB-A to Mini cord
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Honeywell Safety NIOSH-Approved, N95 Cup Mask with Nose Clip, 20-pack (DC365N95HC) sps.honeywell.com/us/en/pro... (N95 NIOSH rated surgical mask to protect me and everyone else – no exhaust valve)
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3M Particulate Respirator 8577, P95, with Nuisance Level Organic Vapor Relief (Pack of 10) 3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000057... ( rated for oil/liquid droplets and has an exhaust valve for when no one else is masked)
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Len
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lankisterguy
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Thank you Len, this is great info! I was a big traveller before Covid and really miss it. I live in Toronto, Canada and used to travel to Europe a lot and I'm still afraid to sit on a plane for that many hours. I'm thinking of going to Florida this spring which is not a long airplane ride, I figure baby steps first. A friend has offered a stay in his condo with a pool that is by the beach so I would be pretty isolated there with my kids.
While I have no medical training, your question triggered my mechanical engineering memory & experience in industrial hygiene.
A N95 or P95 is only as good as the fit to your face, and leaks around the edges can allow some contaminants into the mask. And if I am sleeping, the mask may get wet or dislodged.
By using a positive flow device, all the air is filtered first then injected into the mask and leaks out of the mask, where the fit is poor. And the mask should remain dry & cool, with no resistance to inhalation.
In my first experiments, it seemed even more comfortable than the P95 with an exhaust valve. The masks shown and provided in the package are KN95 with ear loops. I have bought a 1/2" diameter hole punch and made my own replacement masks with head bands, so I have both options available.
Len. I am liking the sound of your investigations. makes sense having a positive air flow to the mouth/nose. However, how good is the filter against the Covid virus?
SNIP:" Along with wearing masks, air purifiers with HEPA filters are also one of the best ways to stay safe from a variety of pollutants in our air including viruses and dangerous PM2.5. A recent CDC study confirmed significantly lower COVID-19 infection rates in schools that used HEPA air purifiers. HEPA filters can significantly lower the risk of a variety of deadly diseases including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure."
Thank you for the information. I’m curious about the 3M 8577 P95 and why it would be superior to the 3M 8511 N95, which I have worn from the beginning - fully aware that it was protecting only me. I’ll try to read up, but if there is a simple answer I’d appreciate it. I will say that I believe the 8511 is what saved me a few years ago on a 6-hour car ride with a driver who became ill & tested positive for Covid that very night (I was immunocompromised at that time as well) which is the main reason I've stuck with them. - Jackie
I have a box of 8511 (N95) right now, and have been using them ever since the Pandemic started (I had the first box left over from my career as an engineer in manufacturing industrial chemicals and plastics). They are designed to work for dry particles, their reusability limitations are not clearly explained. But I have been able to purchase them continuously since the start of the pandemic, so they were the best available option.
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In the early days of the pandemic I was searching for P95s like the 8577 since the medical professionals said that the virus particles often were encapsulated in lipid droplets (oils). The P95 is also considered more reusable. But it was only in the last 4 months that I could find them on Amazon.
Particularly relevant as in early March I make my first air travel since early 2020, from UK to Norway. Not a long hop but my anticipation feels like my first flight aged 20 all those years ago.
My biggest worry has always been getting through the airport where you can't avoid people. My wife has (until 2020) been amazing there putting herself between coughers and me if we heard one, but you still can't get away from the queues.
High backs on seats and airflow has always made me feel a bit easier actually on planes in the past.
I love that your wife runs interference against possible threats. My husband has been doing that since I was diagnosed. So it's not unusual for him to grab me quickly to steer my direction away from hackers and honkers ( my poor hearing compounds the issue. )
Recently, at a store we often frequent, the cashier saw him grab the back of my winter coat and practically lift me backwards-- to avoid someone who was hiding their snuffy red nose under a large hooded jacket.
Since then, this poor cashier has been shooting me sympathetic looks and attempting to catch me away from my husband, no doubt to address the issue of spousal abuse. I may have to let her know what happened, so she can stop worrying.
The truth couldn't be farther from what she's thinking. A caring spouse is a gift from above.
If I had to fly I'd go with the first one. I'm sure it would draw some amazed looks at the airport though. Maybe I could even get into the fast Lane right behind the guy with the two tubes sticking out of his nose pulling an oxygen tank behind himself 🤣.
You might look at sipmask.com It is an airtight port that you put in your own N95 mask with a straw that goes thru the port for drinking. I use it on planes.
I am a physician and have researched this extensively. Covid is 0.13 microns in size.
The 2 best options for me are
1. An ASTM level 2 or 3 filter 98% of particles down to smaller than Covid at 0.10 microns, but do NOT seal. Grainger makes a P-100 or an N-100. These are more effective than an N-95, and are amazing as there is an adjustable strap, they are easy to lift the bottom just enough to get a straw or small morsel of food into your mouth. There is an exhalation valve, and are re-useable. I uses THE P-100 WITH AN ASTM 2 OR 3 OVER TOP. I toss the ASTM 2 or 3 after a flight or attendance at church but reuse the P-100 or N-100. I wear glasses so put a small strip of clear medical tape over the top edge of the ASTM and nose so they don't fog. The glasses also keep the eyes protected. ]
2. Envo N-95. It has a gel foam seal and thus is not only the most comfortable mask I've ever worn, but also gets the best seal. There is an adjustable head strap and the whole construct is so comfortable I can wear it for 1-14 hours per day and totally forget I have it on. My wife says that of all the masks, this is the one she can hear me best through. It is re-useable and has replaceable filters. My glasses never fog. It is about $70-90 dollars on line and Envo and they deliver in a few days. Well worth the expense especially for long flights and extended use!
Thanks for the excellent research and suggested items. That is great info.
I checked Grainger and found the Honeywell version was Not available in XL, M was out of stock until the end of March, only S was in stock for Feb delivery.
Thanks for this great info. I didn't know there were respirators out there with the air flow option. I have a small face and a narrow nose I only recently found this 3M N95 that works very well for me. There is even a cushion under the nose wire and I am able to get the mask tight enough that it doesn't fog my glasses. 3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00051022/ I bought it on Amazon.
That’s an interesting mask set up! There are 2 issues you might have when using this onboard. Air purification systems may not be approved for use onboard the aircraft. The reason, most airplanes have existing HEPA filtration systems and the airlines aren’t keen on individuals bringing their own. Masks with exhaust valves are also not approved for use onboard as well. This filtration setup may be viewed as an extension of that. A good quality tight fitting N95 is what I use, it’s problematic changing it on longer flights because there’s virtually no place to go without people except the bathroom and that’s disgusting and full of nasty airborne particulates as well. Hope this helps. Check with your airline of choice before flying. I’d hate for you to shell out a lot of money for something you’ll be told is prohibited onboard.
My favorite mask is the 3M 9105 N95 because it fits my face snugly and is pretty inexpensive. I don't have CLL but my spouse does. He won't wear N95s because he says the bands around the head are uncomfortable (he has a big head) so I get him KF95s. Neither of us has caught covid so far (knock on wood.) I've been getting the N95s here: digikey.com/en/products/det...
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