Great Mask for Covid

[SirCranksalot]

A company in Collingwood has started to make a special type of masks that meets the N95 std. Online ordering is not available as yet but you can order by e-mail. IMO, if you just use it for short periods such as grocery shopping the filters will last for a very long time..
I have shown a link to their website. I am quite impressed by the design. They are better than the normal masks, including the regular N95's for a couple of reasons (a) The fairly firm mask material combined with the sturdy straps lets the user get a good seal against the face. (b) The 2 circular filters lets the user check the effectiveness of the seal. I have a normal N95 'dust mask' but I don't really know how well it seals. I have used mine for a couple of short shopping trips and felt a lot safer in it than in other masks given the number of people scooting around with masks down over their noses etc. 
It costs a few bux more than cloth masks but I, for one, don't pinch pennies on safety equipment.

The straps are not as shown in the pix but are as shown in the video.

https://treborrx.com/  

[woodenboater]

interesting, wish they would list their prices on their site. also see there's a company in KW making similar respirators. https://o2canada.com Theirs, unfortunately looks like a cup. which may or may not bother some people lol

[Hack_Fisherman]

Looks innovative but not much different from wearing a regular respirator. (Save from the low profile filter)

I think the fabric masks will still be much more comfortable to wear and convenient. Especially for running in and out of stores and such. Easier to communicate wearing paper/cloth masks. 
 

but good on them for offering something with better protection to the masses

[grimsbylander]

Yeah, it may be a great product from a performance standpoint but I can say without hesitation, unless I’m planning to storm the Capital, there’s zero chance I’m wearing that thing. Oh, and I the only person under the illusion that the day will eventually come we won’t need to wear masks?? 

[SirCranksalot]

I guess I should have added a disclaimer---"These masks are not for everybody in all situations".  They are perfectly fine, IMO, for the uses I described  e.g. a short trip into a store Yes, the cloth masks are more comfortable, but they do not work as well. BTW---I have no $$ stake in this product..

[woodenboater]

fwiw, I'm back to using N95 level respirators/ masks since our numbers are stratospheric. I've stopped wearing cloth masks since I don't believe they're particularly effective when pos rates are what they are. I'll use the 3 ply blue masks for quick trips to the supermarket where I'm in and out.

as for post pandemic use, I think the lighter masks will be a thing during flu season for quite a few people. I believe sanitizer use and wipes will likely become the norm.

[SirCranksalot]

The mask I got from Trebor was about $15, which is much less expensive than the ones you mentioned. I don't tend to talk much, if at all, in the groc store or liq store so difficulty being understood with a mask is not much of an issue. The masks that I see being worn don't look very effective to me(esp when the nose is exposed 😁) 

[DRIFTER_016]

I run cloth masks as our infection rate in the NWT is so low (we've only had 26 cases since last March) but I do have a box of 3M N95 masks I use when out of the territory. I have been travelling to Edmonton for tests and treatment for COVID related symptoms since I got it a year ago (before testing and the pandemic was even declared). 

Should be getting my first vaccine shot before the end of the month if all goes to plan. Then off to Edmonton first week of February for cortisone shots in my back. I have bad disks and bad arthritis. I think all the work building my cabin may have had something to do with it. 

[Hack_Fisherman]

21 hours ago, woodenboater said:

 I believe sanitizer use and wipes will likely become the norm.

You’re probably right.

I think the world will continue to use safety protocols for some time. 
 

[SirCranksalot]

My wife had severe respiratory probs last winter and spring. We suspect it may have been Covid but we will never know. That is why we are doing everything we can to minimize exposure e.g. curbside pickup for groc(My SIL and I joked that we will prob never go back to wandering the aisles of CTC looking for various bits and pieces---although fishing gear must be an exception😁) That is why I have been searching for an effective mask. I had a few 3M N95s on hand for dust filters but I am not confident about how well they seal given that the straps are necessarily fairly flimsy. Otherwise they would collapse the mask. This mask has a reasonably rigid body that accommodates stronger straps( again a disclaimer for readers--your results may vary)   

[woodenboater]

I know some are using these masks from Korea (would trust Korean masks > Chinese masks tbh)  https://soomlab-korea.com/products/soomlab-airqueen-nanomask

Staples sells a similar one, but diff material.

Is nano the new hotness for filtration ? dunno. I like that these masks are sealed individually and are flat so can be kept in bags/gloveboxes etc..That they can be disinfected with isopropyl for multiple is interesting as well. 

at least we have many mask options available to us, of varying effectiveness of course.

[woodenboater]

4 hours ago, SirCranksalot said:

...I had a few 3M N95s on hand for dust filters but I am not confident about how well they seal given that the straps are necessarily fairly flimsy. Otherwise they would collapse the mask. This mask has a reasonably rigid body that accommodates stronger straps( again a disclaimer for readers--your results may vary)   

the latex straps on some respirators are their weak point and I've ended up sewing fabric elasticized webbing when they snap. When an N95 respirator has outlived its intended purpose, I put it in a bag to keep as strictly for dust control.

[SirCranksalot]

2 minutes ago, woodenboater said:

I know some are using these masks from Korea (would trust Korean masks > Chinese masks tbh)  https://soomlab-korea.com/products/soomlab-airqueen-nanomask

 

Udduno---would you drive Hyundai or Kia. 

 

 

are they N95?

 

[woodenboater]

would not hesitate to drive a Hyundai  

Don't believe it can get rated N95 (they have tight rules on what can be tested) but it appears to filter around 95% so should be better than the blue masks. fwiw, saw a photo of one of the WHO guys wearing a similar mask so there's that

anything has to be better than cloth masks.