Cloth masks could be customized to look amazing. BUT they offered weak protection (poor filtration, many gaps).

What if you could safely customize an N95 or #BetterMask with a small logo, decal, or other decoration?

THREAD 🧵

1/ 3M N95 with monotone cancer ribbon (or interpret as another
H/T 🎩 to @amandalhu for recommending rub-on “dry transfers.”

Follow her & see her amazing thread of several examples. Very fun, especially for kids. Many pre-designed options.


2/
But can dry transfers be customized?

YES. I ordered a 6” x 6” sheet with >50 monotone #cancer ribbons from @stickermule. Cost about $20. Price goes waaaaay down the more you order. Comes with free hot sauce for some reason.

If you find other deals, please post.
3/ Sheet of dry transfers with >50 cancer ribbons.Randomly comes with hot sauce. Probably don't want to eat ri
Cut it out. Peal off the back. Press on the mask. Use a chopstick, spoon, or pen cap to rub on. Push against a hard surface.

It was too soft through the multiple mask layers, so I inserted a wooden block.

Peel off carefully. Then set the backing on top & rub once more.
4/ Dry transfersDry transfer placed on N95Set a hard object on the opposing side of the maskGrab something with hard plastic (these are children's chops
I run a #cancer research program.

My friend and collaborator Twitterless Jim Gerhart suggests in our forthcoming publication that we mask with health symbols to remind people that masking is a healthy choice, not a political one. So, I am testing these out.
5/ Wearing an N95 with dry transfer of a monotone cancer ribbon
Also added a ribbon to my @Flo_Mask.

The Flo Mask passes an at-home qualitative fit test with ease, unsurprisingly b/c @NgoTheWorld has meticulous attention to detail. Of course, you could just put a sticker on the non-filter part. 🤣
6/ Flo Mask with monotone cancer ribbon
Are N95s with small dry transfers safe? Yes, they are dry and block minimal surface area. No wet ink or alcohol used.

My go-to expert on mask failure -- @ghhughes -- approves.


7/
My masks still passed a fit test after putting on the dry transfers. No surprise.

FYI, to fit test, you just need a nebulizer & fit test solution (e.g., 3M FT-32). Spray near the problem areas (cheek, nose, chin). Breath through the mouth. If you taste bitter, bad fit.
8/ Nebulizer and 3M FT-32 fit-test solution
What did I miss? Have any good suggestions for pre-made rub-on dry transfers? Any good deals on customizable options? Questions on specifics?
9/

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More from @michael_hoerger

Nov 15
I've yet to see a well-designed study showing that #COVID #RapidTests are no longer efficacious.

This one is no exception. Why?
5 reasons.

clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.com/article/S1198-… Image
1. They compare same-day PCR against self-administered/interpreted rapid tests.

For most ppl, that's not reality. It's RAT today or PCR result in 1-3 days (or do both).

A fairer comparison would be a RAT today versus a PCR yesterday (since you'd have to wait for results).
2. They excluded 13% of the sample who were "confirmatory testers" (weird term) -- basically, people who had just tested RAT+ and were coming in for a PCR.

Basically, they excluded the people for whom the test easily worked. Drug trialists pull this stuff all the time.
Read 8 tweets
Nov 13
New article in @JAMANetworkOpen provides critical data on the long-term trajectory of COVID-19 symptoms.

Lots of bad news. 😕
Very bad news for ppl w/cancer or bad acute case of COVID. 😬
Also, a few rays of hope. 🌞
#LongCOVID #COVIDcancer

1/12
jamanetwork.com/journals/jaman… Title and graph, journal ar...
66% of adults had at least 1 symptom during the acute phase (first 2 months) of diagnosis of #COVID-19.

I’ve highlighted the symptoms experienced by at least 10%. Note that some of the less common symptoms are quite debilitating though (e.g., 9% w/lung pain).

2/12 Symptom table. Acute sympto...
If you had a #COVID symptom initially, what are the chances it persists beyond 2 months? See 2nd column, green highlights emphasize those enduring among >10%.

Many of the initial symptoms endure in about 20% of ppl. Russian-roulette like odds.

3/12 Table shows the percentage ...
Read 13 tweets
Oct 28
I made a new graphic representing my current gist-level representation of the #SwissCheese Model of #COVID mitigation.

In your mind, how do you organize the categories differently? Is there something else you prioritize?
1/5 Swiss Cheese model of COVID...
My mental model of COVID mitigation differs from others in that it gives more weight to secondary and tertiary prevention.

The less the Western world focuses on the first 8 slices of cheese, the more we will need to focus on the final 2-3 slices.
2/5 Secondary and tertiary prev...
In my #SwissCheese model, I debated how many slices to devote to masking & clean indoor air. Huge weapons. Masking is simple but w/plenty of nuance (mask selection, distribution, fit, duration). Clean air includes ventilation, filtration (CR boxes, HEPA), UVC, fluid dynamics
3/5 Masks and IAQ. Bigger slice...
Read 5 tweets
Sep 26
Empowered communities want free #N95 masks!

Our new pre-print shows that people are excited to use N95s during COVID surges when given them for free w/helpful information on their evidence & how to use them.
1/
psyarxiv.com/f76vw Study abstract: People want...Project banner: Free N95 Qu...Aegle N95, given away in th...
You might remember when we posted about the study back in December!

I hope you find the results useful. We tried to make the figures relatable, even if you're not reading science articles every day. Please let me know if you have questions!
2/

We gave out 2,500 #N95 masks in 5 packs to our racially & socioeconomically diverse community. Many used N95s for the 1st time. People treated us like we were giving them kidneys. So grateful!

97% used at least 1 N95 & 40% used all 5 within 1-mo!

3/
Read 11 tweets
Sep 25
Know someone having a baby soon? CONGRATULATIONS! 🍼🍼🍼

As hospitals drop universal COVID protections, these are my top 7 tips for protecting unmaskable un-vaxable newborns from #nosocomial (hospital-acquired) COVID.

What did I miss?

THREAD of Top 7 Tips 🧵
Tip #1 – Determine your #mask rules. Some parents require staff to #N95. Compliance would vary by region/hospital. Prep for what you’ll say if staff don’t comply.

With our newborn twins, we supplied medical staff w/free N95s & tests. Nobody wanted N95s; 1 took a #RAT. 🤣
Tip #2 – U.S. hospitals SHOULD have excellent ventilation (air cleaning) by reg. But HVAC repair doesn’t have a CPT code. Many of my best & worst air quality readings are from hospitals.

Consider buying a #CO2monitor, read on that hashtag, & follow @joeyfox85 for basic tips.
Read 9 tweets
Sep 13
Such a proliferation of useless #COVID "treatments," now nasal irrigation.

If a virus kills millions of people, a useful treatment would be published in a journal with impact factor >20, not 1.7.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…
The study gave people nasal irrigation and compared it to CDC data on hospitalization and death rates.

Not everything must be an RCT, but the purpose of an RCT is to compare two equivalent groups so that the observed differences can be attributed to the treatment.
Since this is not an RCT, the people in the nasal irrigation could have easily differed from people in the CDC normative sample.

Specifically, people who sign up for studies are often less ill. If they are less ill, they see better outcomes regardless of the "treatment"
Read 4 tweets

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