🧵 on "Why is the hospital forcing me to take off of my N95, and put on a surgical mask?"
@realreporter - had some great questions that lots of other folks have had.
Going to answer them.
@realreporter - had some great questions that lots of other folks have had.
Going to answer them.
https://twitter.com/AprilinBC/status/1458561329665437698
But before we do that - N95's are unquestionably better than surgical masks:
first10em.com/the-evidence-s…
Go ahead - we'll wait. :)
first10em.com/the-evidence-s…
Go ahead - we'll wait. :)
How can a hospital be sure you are in a good N95? 
The hospital policy should be to just have one of their masks over whatever mask you have.
Then, the net result is additive.
This would allow N100 elastomeric respirators, valved respirators, fake N95's, etc to be worn
H/T @WikiDocJames for touching on this.
Then, the net result is additive.
This would allow N100 elastomeric respirators, valved respirators, fake N95's, etc to be worn
H/T @WikiDocJames for touching on this.
The last part of that tweet has the idea that masks worn in other places are no longer protective.
Which comes from a couple of places. One is the FDA requirement of swapping out N95's between patients as a single-use medical device.
apnews.com/article/fda-n9…
Which comes from a couple of places. One is the FDA requirement of swapping out N95's between patients as a single-use medical device.
apnews.com/article/fda-n9…
But, in actuality, N95's last far longer than we think.
Here's a strategy endorsed by the inventory of N95 filtration material.
acoi.org/covid-19/n95re…
Here's a strategy endorsed by the inventory of N95 filtration material.
acoi.org/covid-19/n95re…
The other place it may come from is the common misunderstanding that virii will just puff out of the N95.
The electrostatic attraction that actually does the heavy lifting in N95's prevents that from happening.
The same idea of contamination from PPE could be applied to
The electrostatic attraction that actually does the heavy lifting in N95's prevents that from happening.
The same idea of contamination from PPE could be applied to
clothes.
aricjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…
Are we given clothes when we go into a hospital?
Or a new cell phone? H/T @BarryHunt008.
aricjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11…
Are we given clothes when we go into a hospital?
Or a new cell phone? H/T @BarryHunt008.
Next ❓
Nicolas nailed this twice.
https://twitter.com/PPEtoheros/status/1458995083081097216?t=pQ0EpTqbzxjozHAtC24fkA&s=19
To which the reply was:
And the same exact answer.
We should be able to put their mask over our surgical mask.
"But wait! The CDC says not to double up on surgical masks!"
True. But only because it doesn't help fit 👇. Since we don't care about fit right now? Who cares?
cdc.gov/coronavirus/20…
We should be able to put their mask over our surgical mask.
"But wait! The CDC says not to double up on surgical masks!"
True. But only because it doesn't help fit 👇. Since we don't care about fit right now? Who cares?
cdc.gov/coronavirus/20…
We'll come to fit in a second. But let's talk surgical mask material.
Are they all the same? No.
@armbrust_usa makes some great ones.
Others like listed here, got down to
18% filtration. ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-t…
Or like here- up to 71%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
Are they all the same? No.
@armbrust_usa makes some great ones.
Others like listed here, got down to
18% filtration. ceramics.org/ceramic-tech-t…
Or like here- up to 71%
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
How can we handle that? Put their mask over...
Finally, this exchange happened regarding fit.
It is a common misunderstanding based on OSHA requirements for fit training and testing.
But in the context of an airborne pandemic, the perfect becomes the enemy of the good
Finally, this exchange happened regarding fit.
It is a common misunderstanding based on OSHA requirements for fit training and testing.
But in the context of an airborne pandemic, the perfect becomes the enemy of the good
To wit ...
Fit is critical, but N95's with suboptimal fit still help, says our CDC director, “N95 masks with suboptimal fit still had comparable filtration efficiency of more than 90%.”
Which makes me wonder - why hasn't the CDC pushed for N95's 4 all?
Fit is critical, but N95's with suboptimal fit still help, says our CDC director, “N95 masks with suboptimal fit still had comparable filtration efficiency of more than 90%.”
https://twitter.com/sri_srikrishna/status/1428910033966747648?s=20
Which makes me wonder - why hasn't the CDC pushed for N95's 4 all?
@CDCDirector has personally conducted a study showing that even imperfectly fit N95's are better than surgical or cloth masks.
Where are our masks?
Where are our masks?
More on fit:
"11 yrs ago I did a study with naive subjects donning N95 filtering facepiece respirators.
76-86% of subjects were able to get a fit factor of 10 (10% leakage), which is better than any face covering or most surgical masks could achieve."
"11 yrs ago I did a study with naive subjects donning N95 filtering facepiece respirators.
76-86% of subjects were able to get a fit factor of 10 (10% leakage), which is better than any face covering or most surgical masks could achieve."
https://twitter.com/Eric_Carroll/status/1458999619585781778?t=JXid-JeQJNe9ybzbDSAG-w&s=19
A new study (for me) on less than perfect fit, showing 90 to 95% FFE.
And also showed that EXPIRED N95's perform at the same 95% level. These were N95 respirators up to 11 years past their expiration.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
H/T @CharityChicken for a similar study.
And also showed that EXPIRED N95's perform at the same 95% level. These were N95 respirators up to 11 years past their expiration.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…
H/T @CharityChicken for a similar study.
But let's say that you have to wear their surgical mask, and their mask alone.
This is a great suggestion:
This is a great suggestion:
https://twitter.com/Orla_Hegarty/status/1459067163218747393?t=Lfmbl-HDXVNiOE1xSCzh1A&s=19
And this....chef's kiss....is such a great way to make your ears not fall off:
https://twitter.com/Thatquaratined1/status/1459072533630631941?t=fZ4LRVDUO62KbvxSqwQVQg&s=19
Hopefully this thread will help some folks if they end up in the hospital.
Make sure you have your best mask on, in the ambulance, as well!
Make sure you have your best mask on, in the ambulance, as well!
https://twitter.com/LazarusLong13/status/1458992439973216259?t=fZ4LRVDUO62KbvxSqwQVQg&s=19
Pulling another great tip up from @Thatquaratined1:
https://twitter.com/Thatquaratined1/status/1459112659849080835?t=LEgjCid7iYSRxGLCTEzYJg&s=19
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