'A well-sealed FFP2/3 [N95/N99] mask is the single greatest tool humankind has come up with to prevent initial infection, further spread and mutations - as well as an endless pandemic.'
I hadn't realised that the 'Vax-Only and Nothing Else' crew were a thing; or that they are so incredibly toxic & wrong-headed; and as dangerous as any of the other extremist Covid bands.
I think the general idea is to mask up. It saves foetuses from dying in the womb, and pregnant ladies from leaving their husbands 30 years early, and prevents older people from ending up in a care home 5 or 10 years before their time.
If SARS-CoV-2 can infect via droplets & eyes, and airborne Monkeypox can infect via droplets (and exchanges of bodily fluids & fomites & physical contact), then eye-protection also makes sense.
I went for the Bollé CONTPSI Bronze. Ideal match with an elastomeric GVS Elipse P100.
An extremely important kernel of knowledge while you're using a high-quality respirator like a #P100#elastomeric: yes, you will be able to smell through it. And yes, your respirator (if it's fitted well) will continue to protect you from C-19.
A crucial advantage of choosing an #elastomeric#respirator over a more standard #N95/#N99#FFP2/#FFP3#mask like the 3M Aura or VFlex is the extremely high first-off chance of an airtight seal.
'People siezed on government permission to stop masking because it's what they desperately wanted to hear; part for convenience, certainly, but more because constant fear & stress is a crushing load to bear. Then peer pressure when most stopped masking.'
C-19 is primarily spread via air: so you wear a P100/P3 elasto.
But what happens when a maskless, MPX-infected person talks at you - and their (durable) droplets land on your elasto? Wear a throwaway surgical over the top?
Tacking this onto the #mask thread as part of the Swiss Cheese approach.
Everything you wanted to know about mitigating against C-19 (and #MPX) - including ventilation, air quality, air-filtration and germicidal UV irradiation.
Arguing with a vaxxed-'n'-relaxed non-masker is like playing chess with a pigeon: they strut around on the board, knock the pieces over, take a shit on it and fly off thinking they've won.
Q: “Why are you wearing that mask and goggles and…”
Me: “Because my personal risk assessment, based on the govt being unwilling to monitor, control the spread or inform the public about COVID, is that COVID is f’ing everywhere, all the time.”
“Every time you get infected, you’re rolling the dice for a good or bad outcome. So as you continue to play that game, you again increase your risks. One of the biggest things that anyone can do right now is to protect yourself...”
“... from getting infected again, and even if you aren't able to fully prevent infection, there's something to be said for reducing the amount of virus and the dose of virus that you're exposed to.”
My best defense is an 'extreme' mask: an elastomeric #P100/#N100/#P3 respirator.
Despite forecasted light usage outdoors with minimal occasional social contact, and with distancing of 2-3 metres-plus, I'll be rotating seven GVS Segre F31000 #FFP3/#N99#masks on a weekly basis.
A hands-on test-experience will follow. Let's see.
/3
The MRI is indeed a brain scan - and the aluminium strip in the GVS Segre will degrade image quality.
The alternative was an (NHS-tested) MRI-safe UK-friendly Easimask FSM18 FFP3.
I may take the Segre's strip off, double-side-tape it on the inside, and tape-seal on the outside.
The reason I thought that the GVS Segre would pass for gardening *and* an MRI brain scan is that Amazon's description has it as 'MRI-safe'.
On re-checking, that claim is only made for the 15-piece box - not on the singles, 2s or 3s.
Verdict: tight fit. High confidence. Will pull off metal strip & tape it to face for my next brain MRI. I won't risk an FFP2/N95 in an English hospital now.
To reiterate: I will only wear a non-elastomeric FFP3/N99 mask for an MRI scan, or in a controlled outdoor environment. I don't consider an FFP2/N95 fit for purpose now.
On disposable vs. elastomeric masks, possible supply chain issues, and why investing in a washable elastomeric respirator whose filters can last weeks to months might be a solid idea now.
A useful video describing the physics behind hi-tech filters from #N95/#FFP3 up, and how they manage to catch SARS-CoV-2 particles that you might think would otherwise pass through the gaps...
From hereon in, this thread'll be a hit-job on every Fifth Columnist ever to walk the streets of London, and Edinburgh, and Cardiff, and... oh. Forgot. We sold NI down the river a long time ago...
Note 1: The BBC Disease has Gone Ozzo. (It's catching.)
'Rich and powerful people will tell you anything to help them stay rich and powerful; and their armies of media stooges, PR companies, and social media influencers are no better than Vichy puppets.'
The BBC is not on your side regarding C-19: on the radio, on your TV, or on its website.
On elastomeric masks, N95s, KN95s, FFP2s, KF94s, care and fit, sourcing, testing, real-world examples & tips, warnings, children's masks, cute alternatives - and why you might want to upgrade now.
Teases out technical classifications of 'hi-fi' (high-filtration) masks such as N95s, KN95s or KF94s - and why cloth & surgical masks are not an option now.