Capitol Hill Blue Forums Science and Technology Health, Medicine & the healing Sciences Genius: how to make of a surgical mask, an N95-equivalent

This is pure genius and needs to be widely diffused. With three rubber bands, the performance of a regular surgical mask is greatly enhanced. This does match a scientific study I read, that a surgical mask with a good seal filters to a level almost equal to an N95 mask (the latter still beats it by a couple of percentage points but this is by far the second best one can do, in the absence of an N95.



More complete instructions and another alternative with a rubber sheet, here:

https://www.fixthemask.com/

My wife is sewing adult custom masks in four different sizes, with two layers of cotton and a pocket in the middle so you can insert a blue shop towel paper filter. She also adds a rubber-coated wire to the top, so it can be molded around your nose. They don't leak at all, if you pick the right size. She's sending them to friends and extended family.

I'm sure a correctly sealed N95 mask is better, but most of us can't get them.

Cotton pocket with blue shop towels are the second-best home-made masks only behind a HEPA filter inserted in the pocket, but the cotton/shop towels are mostly effective against large viruses such as the influenza virus. Their efficacy drops to 50% with small viruses like the coronavirus. Surgical masks, though, with ASTM rating at least Level 1, are good for the small coronavirus, and can filtrate more than 95% with a good seal. Levels 2 and 3 can get up to 98% of filtration.

I don't have the link for you now but on Debate Politics I posted the two studies that established what I just told you above.

I haven't found a mask yet that I can wear. All are too small and pull my ears forward so my hearing aids fall off. On the rare occasions when I must go out I tie a bandanna around my face, probably not the best mask but at least I can avoid public shaming.

I read a study showing that bandanas filter 2% of the virus. They are the most ineffective kind.

Make a home-made mask that fits the size of your face and doesn't mess with your hearing aids.

I'm frankly worried that you are wearing a bandana. Almost no protection.

The problem is the around the ear elastic. Often incompatible with hearing aids. Just cut the elastic bands in half and tie them to some heavy cord you can tie around your head. Real surgical masks never loop behind your ears. One nice thing is you get the cords over your head right and the nose tight, then tie the lower cords on the back of your neck. When you take it off, leave the upper cords tied. You never have to retie them again.

My wife sews folded inch-wide cloth into multiple layers to make the mask tying strips. Much easier to tie behind your head than string or cord.

I've also got this nine inch goatee that needs to be worked into the equation.

Best I should just stay home and avoid people altogether. Larder is full, freezers are full. I'm going on hard lockdown for two weeks.

Here's a mask you could go to town with!

How to disinfect N95 masks for re-use:

The world famous electrician "Big Clive" (of bigclive.com fame) shows us how to test our UV-C disinfecting lamp bulbs to see if they genuinely ARE UV-C germicidal lamps or just fancy looking purple disco lights.
He's using "The Green Banana Test".
As always, if you DO HAVE a genuine UV-C germicidal lamp, NEVER look at it directly while it is operating and do not let your skin get exposed for very long unless you enjoy a bad sunburn.