Thread by @ericbkennedy

I know it feels impossible to avoid COVID these days, but I just traveled for 4 weeks, took 10 flights, gave 4 in-person presentations, and attended 3 conferences without catching COVID... and you can too.

Yes, COVID is highly transmissible, but it's not magic. A brief 🧵.

Because #COVIDisAirborne, two rules formed the backbone of my protection:

(1) Wear a well-fit N95.
(2) Don't not wear a well-fit N95.

#1 is relatively easy. #2 can be hard, and my guess is this is where most people catch COVID, whether in day-to-day life or traveling. 2/

(1) Wear a well-fit N95.

A high-quality mask is your best defence against not just COVID, but also other airborne infections. Finding an N95 that is comfortable and fits your face shape well is critical. For me, Honeywell's H910 fits great + are cheap. 3/ costco.ca/honeywell---pa…

Every time I put it on, I spend a minute bending the nose piece to make sure it doesn't leave any gaps around my nose/eyes. I shave my face daily to ensure it gets a good seal. And, I run my fingers around the edge of the mask to make sure it's pulled snug to my face. 4/

Then, the easiest thing for me to do is think of COVID like cigarette smoke. I ask myself, "if someone was smoking/had smoked here, might I smell it?" If the answer is yes, I put on my mask.

Alone outside? Probably wouldn't smell a cigarette. But, a crowded patio? Absolutely. 5/

Hopping on public transit? Mask on. Arriving at the conference venue? Mask on. Showing up to a crowded outdoor social? Mask on. Walking into the hotel? Mask on. Getting a cab? Mask on.

That's rule #1: Wear a well-fit N95. Rule #2 is harder. 6/

Rule #2 is "Don't not wear a well-fit N95." It's really tempting to break this rule, and that's when the virus strikes.

For ex, conferences often have coffee/snacks/wine receptions. Unfortunately, an N95 in your hands is like a bike helmet on the handlebars... it's useless. 7/

So, we'd take our snacks outside where we could eat/chat in a well-ventilated area.

Another place it's easy to help the virus infect you? COVID doesn't care if you're behind a podium, so it's important to choose a mask you're comfortable presenting in! 8/

https://twitter.com/IAWF/status/1534020295266144258

Like you, I also prefer to not sleep in a mask. So, I took a couple of portable air purifiers to my hotel rooms, let them run a few hours while I explored the city, and then came back + unmasked confident the purifiers were serving as my temporary N95. 9/

https://twitter.com/joeyfox85/status/1534669593268166657

Rule #2 is hard because it's SO EASY to make excuse after excuse to take off the mask ("well, they have pretzels on the plane," "well, this room is crowded but the wine is free," "well, it's my turn to present")... and then wonder how COVID snuck through. 10/

Ultimately, you need to make the call about what risks you want to take. For me, it was worth unmasking for patio dinners with people I care about... when we could find very well-ventilated patios! Your threshold might be different, and that's okay. 11/

But, at the very least, it's 100% possible to avoid getting COVID doing things that AREN'T worth is (e.g., standing in a jet bridge, riding an Uber, or listening to a lecture) and save up those risks for when it is (e.g., spending an unmasked weekend with someone you love). 12/

Thanks to folks like @joeyfox85, @amandalhu, @BarryHunt008, @mrpunan, @Billius27, @RealSexyCyborg, @TRyanGregory and so many others who are also working for clean air for all and offering practical advice for how to avoid this airborne virus. 13/13