Cloth masks

[mefordis]

I thought the mask science was settled but now I keep hearing on the news that cloth masks are not working for the omicron variant. I'm guessing this goes for paper as well? Anyone think they will start requiring N95 masks indoors now?

 

[Jennasis]

Paper surgical masks or N96/Kn95 are your best bet. Cloth is better than nothing though.

 

[mefordis]

Paper surgical masks or N96/Kn95 are your best bet. Cloth is better than nothing though.

I wonder if they will stop making the cloth ones now that experts are saying they don't work. I also wonder if they'll go the way of the neck gators and not be allowed.

 

[LYSE]

They never really worked it was just thought to be better than nothing then some badly done studies and assumptions were made showing some effectiveness but really protection has always started with surgicals and real protection at n95 or equivalents.

I doubt they'll be banned because people are just too accustomed to it plus your splitting hairs on advantages if the wearer is vaxxed

 

[disneychrista]

I don't think that it is that they don't work. They just don't work as well with this new variant.

 

[gncntry]

I went for a mammogram and was told ahead of time that cloth masks were not acceptable. They required patients to wear the paper masks or KN95.

 

[tvguy]

Well, we picked up a couple of N95 masks today at Walmart. We have some N-95s from the start of the pandemic with the valve in them to let you exhale, which of course renders them useless since the entire reason for any mask is to contain the aerosols your are exhaling.

 

[AustinTink]

I stocked up on N95s on Cyber Monday when we were first hearing about Omicron. I was hoping at the time they would not be needed, but oh well, at least I have them now.

 

[BrianL]

I've been using the paper masks underneath my cloth lately. No harm in doubling up.

 

[MrsPete]

I thought the mask science was settled but now I keep hearing on the news that cloth masks are not working for the omicron variant. I'm guessing this goes for paper as well? Anyone think they will start requiring N95 masks indoors now?

Who's "they"?

I've been using the paper masks underneath my cloth lately. No harm in doubling up.

I double mask in my classroom. Most of my students are not wearing masks /are completely not being careful, so I do what I can to protect myself.

 

[tvguy]

Who's "they"?
I double mask in my classroom. Most of my students are not wearing masks /are completely not being careful, so I do what I can to protect myself.

My wife made our masks. Cloth, double material with a slot for a paper towel to go in as a filter. No idea what the current thinking on those is. Schools here require kids to wear masks. And they are resuming some after school activities, but they fog the auditorium after each event.

 

[anniemae]

I feel like the disposable paper ones are very thin and don't really cover my whole lower face. It's like I can feel the air seeping in on the side gaps when I breath.

The cloth ones cover my whole lower face and just feels tighter and more safe since I can adjust the ear straps, kind of like a seal around my face, but I guess not.

 

[neverlandsky]

Visiting at a hospital it was mandatory for visitors to switch out their personal masks of paper, or N95, or cloth to their provided hospital surgical paper ones.

 

[anniemae]

Visiting at a hospital it was mandatory for visitors to switch out their personal masks of paper, or N95, or cloth to their provided hospital surgical paper ones.

Yes, our hospital was the same, has been for a while, not just since omicron. I had to get blood work last year and I had to take off my cloth one and use the paper ones they provided.

 

[Sinder]

I'm not sure who they are but if they are the they here nobody is really enforcing anything as it is. I highly doubt people are going to be turned away for not having the proper type of mask.
Besides, we've had our mask mandate in place for a couple weeks and our numbers are still surging and that is among the vaccinated and boosted. It doesn't matter what you wear on your face eventually you are going to get it

 

[WorldWacky]

I feel like the disposable paper ones are very thin and don't really cover my whole lower face. It's like I can feel the air seeping in on the side gaps when I breath.

The cloth ones cover my whole lower face and just feels tighter and more safe since I can adjust the ear straps, kind of like a seal around my face, but I guess not.

This is exactly how I feel. The paper masks let all sorts of air in and out of the gaps above my nose and by my cheeks. The cloth masks I use seal much better at the nose, go from ear to ear and well below my chin. They passed the “candle test” back when that was what was suggested to see how much air got through. When I’m talking in class, the paper masks move up onto my eyes or down below my nose. Certainly THAT isn’t better!

 

[TwoMisfits]

I feel like the disposable paper ones are very thin and don't really cover my whole lower face. It's like I can feel the air seeping in on the side gaps when I breath.

The cloth ones cover my whole lower face and just feels tighter and more safe since I can adjust the ear straps, kind of like a seal around my face, but I guess not.

You probably don't have the right size. The 3-ply surgical-type masks come in multiple sizes...and with and without a nose wire (which is essential for glasses wearers and does help even more with fit for anyone)...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

with and without a nose wire (which is essential for glasses wearers

I find that the nose wire just doesn't work all that well. I think my nose is oddly shaped and my glasses still steam up from my exhalations in cold weather. I just can't get the wire to fit firmly to my nose/cheek area, sealing it up.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, our hospital was the same, has been for a while, not just since omicron. I had to get blood work last year and I had to take off my cloth one and use the paper ones they provided.

I had more medical tests in 2021 that I care to remember and a common theme with masks was, they wanted it to be a mask that hadn't been used more than 10 minutes before you arrived.

 

[DLgal]

Cloth masks have never been allowed inside medical offices here. They have always required surgical or N95/KN95.

Something about the melt blown polypropylene in the respirators and surgical masks is far superior at stopping virus particles from moving in or out.

FWIW, all the people I know who currently have the virus were wearing cloth masks. They clearly don't work very well. I've been wearing KN95 since Delta showed up.