COVID-19 (Coronavirus) discussion

SexyGreyFox said:
We definitely will go back to masks if it rises, we only took them off a month ago in Admin areas but all Clinical areas still wearing them.
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I went on the train unmasked once (about 3 weeks ago, low cases, only on the way home, had a few) so still burning through 4 of those FFP2 masks a week. We really are a rare breed now on public transport. I fully expect case rises to make the news at some point in the autumn and up the numbers a bit.
 
CapitalOne said:
I went on the train unmasked once (about 3 weeks ago, low cases, only on the way home, had a few) so still burning through 4 of those FFP2 masks a week. We really are a rare breed now on public transport. I fully expect case rises to make the news at some point in the autumn and up the numbers a bit.
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Are you really discarding your masks after just one use? That's a complete waste.
 
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CapitalOne said:
Yeah - they'll be touched and are used on full commuter trains so I thought that was protocal, however I am here to be educated!
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The whole one time usage thing really applies to hospitals where there is a serious risk of cross contamination. Otherwise, you can safely reuse them multiple times and not worry too much about it, the filters don't degrade that quickly. IMO, you could safely get a week or two out of a single mask as long as the seal is intact. There were quite a few studies into mask reusability during the pandemic, and none of them really concluded that you can't reuse masks. Plus, infection through a contaminated surface is very low risk with COVID as we have since discovered.

Personally, I use mine for a couple of weeks at a time and have never had COVID.
 
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Tephnos said:
The whole one time usage thing really applies to hospitals where there is a serious risk of cross contamination. Otherwise, you can safely reuse them multiple times and not worry too much about it, the filters don't degrade that quickly. IMO, you could safely get a week or two out of a single mask as long as the seal is intact. There were quite a few studies into mask reusability during the pandemic, and none of them really concluded that you can't reuse masks. Plus, infection through a contaminated surface is very low risk with COVID as we have since discovered.

Personally, I use mine for a couple of weeks at a time and have never had COVID.
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Good to know thanks for taking the time to answer. I guess I need some king of "mask pouch" rather just stick it in my jacket breast pocket? Or stop fussing, pocket's fine? :)
 
CapitalOne said:
Good to know thanks for taking the time to answer. I guess I need some king of "mask pouch" rather just stick it in my jacket breast pocket? Or stop fussing, pocket's fine? :)
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You could use a mask pouch, personally I just stuff them back in the bags the mask came in. :D

Forgot to mention, masks filter through 3 main principles: static electricity to attract particles, Brownian motion (basically stuff in the air zigzags around which increases the likelihood it ends up caught in a filter when the particle is smaller than the filter size), and the filters themselves.

For example, if a mask filter size was 0.3microns, that is the size it is *least* capable of catching (so n95 95% rating comes from this), whereas particles above and below this size are more effectively caught due to above-mentioned concepts. The most likely part of the mask to degrade with usage will be the static electricity part, due to moisture in your breath getting the mask all wet (so valved masks would be better if you don't care about helping your fellow non-masked passengers). However, that is offset somewhat because a mask's filter efficacy does go up the more clogged up with stuff it gets too.

More reading here: https://groups.oist.jp/nnp/diy-face-mask
 
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Tephnos said:
You could use a mask pouch, personally I just stuff them back in the bags the mask came in. :D

Forgot to mention, masks filter through 3 main principles: static electricity to attract particles, Brownian motion (basically stuff in the air zigzags around which increases the likelihood it ends up caught in a filter when the particle is smaller than the filter size), and the filters themselves.

For example, if a mask filter size was 3nm, that is the size it is *least* capable of catching (so n95 95% rating comes from this), whereas particles above and below this size are more effectively caught due to above-mentioned concepts. The most likely part of the mask to degrade with usage will be the static electricity part, due to moisture in your breath getting the mask all wet (so valved masks would be better if you don't care about helping your fellow non-masked passengers). However, that is offset somewhat because a mask's filter efficacy does go up the more clogged up with stuff it gets too.
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Cool, the baggies are actually pretty good on the ones I have so noted thanks.
 
mrgubby said:
They are single use , you are doing it right :)
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Incredibly wasteful and expensive behaviour, he is not a hospital worker and doesn't need the stringent requirements they have there. Studies have long proved they can be reused a number of times, and even the CDC will say they can be reused up to 5 times in a hospital setting if there are shortages.

Mindlessly quoting specs does nobody any good.
 
Escaped catching it all this time, forced back to the London office 3 days a week and now the week immediately after I’ve got it. Feel terrible, been off work 2 days, though think it’ll be the whole week at this rate.
 
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