Top 10 tips everyone should know about wearing #N95 & #elastomeric masks.
What did I miss?
THREAD!
Tip #1: Masks buy time. Context matters too: Ventilation (HVAC/outdoor air), filtration (HEPA), & ⬇️ people buy more time.
The longer you’ll be someplace or the worse the context, the better the mask you’ll need.
In a “typical” setting, you might expect this (per @akm5376):
Tip #2: If you’re going to be someplace a long time (home, office, hospital, wedding), open windows, add #HEPA, turn HVAC from ‘auto’ to ‘on' & do testing.
BOOM, you just improved your mask. Better context = less work for the mask.
Tip #3: These are my three fav N95s. The Aegle & 3M Aura are good for most adult size faces. The Vflex is good for larger faces. I think 80-90% would be happy with the Aura.
Buy a nebulizer & sweet (called FT-31) or bitter (FT-32) fit testing solution. The nebulizer vaporizes the solution. If you can taste it, your mask has gaps.
Tip #8: Always buy directly from the manufacturer, a nonprofit like @projectn95, or a verified sourced. For example, Amazon sells a ton of fakes, but GVS is verified to sell authentically via Amazon. Do your homework.
FYI, I have no COIs, including no investment in any company listed. I’m a multidisciplinary scientist. My goal is to pass along advice from experts in a way that’s more relatable to communities.
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CDC wastewater surveillance data show transmission rising. This is our forecast if transmission growth follows typical patterns.
The high & low estimates could be thought of as optimistic & pessimistic scenarios for NB.1.8.1.
2) PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 9, 2025
Notice that current transmission (red line, lower left) tracks closely with two years ago (yellow), slightly below the median (gray), and not far below last year (orange).
Consider each of these trajectories realistic scenarios.
3) PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 9, 2025
All indications are that we are headed into the start of an 11th national wave in the U.S.
We could percolate near the lull point another couple weeks (fingers crossed), but that scenario is becoming less likely.
National COVlD transmission recently fell to its lowest levels since the pre-Delta era.
It's go-time for many who have delayed medical appointments. The situation will likely get much worse in Jul/Aug.
2/ PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 2, 2025 (U.S.)
An estimated 1 in 211 are actively infectious. Most states are "low" or "very low" per CDC.
The situation remains serious even in a relative "lull." >1.5 million weekly estimated infections to result in 600-900 excess deaths.
3/ PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 2, 2025 (U.S.)
By the end of the month, we forecast an increase to 450k daily infections. If NB.1.8.1 takes off, closer to 600k. If overhyped, percolating only slightly higher.
🔥1 in 180 actively infectious
🔥1.9 million weekly infections
🔥>93,000 new #LongCOVID cases from the week's infections
🔥1,100 excess deaths from the week's infections
This is a "lull."
2) PMC Dashboard, May 26, 2025 (U.S.)
The forecast calls for a near-doubling in transmission the next month to 450k daily infections.
The 95% confidence interval includes flat transmission (percolating), or escalating to 650k (if NB.1.8.1 takes off).
3) PMC Dashboard, May 26, 2025 (U.S.)
Looking at year-over-year transmission, 2025 (red) is closely tracking the median (gray).
It transmission accelerates, it could look more like last year (orange). If it slows, more like two years ago (yellow).
1) CDC & Biobot wastewater surveillance both show the West region in an apparent uptick in C19 transmission.
Here's the graph of regional transmission from CDC data with the West in green:
2) This image zooms in on the West (green line) so you can see the apparent departure from the C19 lull more easily.
3) Biobot still provides national & regional C19 updates. They usually post sometime between Thursday morning & Saturday evening. IMO, their most recent data point can be viewed as the Wednesday of the prior week.
Like the CDC, they have an apparent uptick in the West (green).
In this national "lull" in transmission, we are seeing...
🔥A quarter-million daily infections
🔥90-360k Long COVlD cases from the week's infections
🔥600-1,100 deaths from the week's infections
🔥LA, SD, NE, & GU in high transmission
1) Good luck getting any new federal research to support #LongCOVID until "covid" is dropped from the dirty words that get grant applications triaged to the trash bin.
You know which senator to call.
I just did, and got a staffer instead of voicemail.
2) I told the staffer that #LongCOVID is affecting millions and that no research will be funded to address this while "covid" remains on the banned word list.
3) I told them about my family member who was a strong Special Forces veteran, got covid once, & according to their neurologist, it triggered #LongCOVID in the form of Dementia w/Lewy Bodies.
DLB is one of the worst conditions imaginable. After a 2yr battle, they died in 2024.