https://actionnetwork.org/letters/preserving-telehealth-3?fbclid=IwY2xjawG-f3BleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVRORb71XISsyTspZ6T1R2gXp56EBNWL3n6or04nMx7VMNt2wpvPnrfoDA_aem_h0Qe8-Y3kr02JnZ671CjPA
Please sign to help preserve telehealth benefits. They are set to expire for a lot of US Health insurers. Telehealth keeps us safe from healthcare providers who will not mask.

I wear masks on transit, at the theater, etc. I despise the smell of gum and yet can still smell it while wearing a KN95 (people who chew gum don’t realize how strong it is!!) Any recommendations for kinds of masks that can also block smells? I’m assuming I need one with some kind of carbon or filtration. Thanks!

is rewearing masks okay? i’ve always done it but i’ve never thought anything of it until some posts on here. for reference i wear kn95’s, i’m also asking because i have acne! though its the least of my concerns i wonder if rewearing makes it worse?

Today was my first day back to an indoor pool since before COVID. My knees are in dire need of aqua therapy, so I risked it.

I got through it and since I didn’t need to submerge my face I was able to use a ReadiMask with relative success, but OMFG! The coughing and hacking was troubling. AND the WORST- an elderly woman kept spitting her loogies in the pool! I’m so disgusted and disheartened. For my first day back I’m really questioning whether or not to return.

Should I talk to management? I feel like making my own signs reminding people to not spit their phlegm into a shared pool. 🤮

I’ve been wearing these for some weeks now and I like others have noticed small holes near the straps after use. I’m nervous about this interfering with the mask’s efficacy. It’s the best fitting N95 I’ve ever had as a person with chubbier cheeks and a flatter nasal bridge, and the braided straps are a huge lifesaver for long days - the usual rubber straps give me horrible head and jaw pain.

I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions for really good alternatives to the Block Duckbill N95 with braided straps? I am happy to buy something slightly pricier if it means having similar comfort.

Links are appreciated if handy!

i’m the only person who still wears a mask in my family and group of friends and coworkers. and though they all understand why i do and never question me usually but with my family sometimes it feels like me masking is all for nothing. we all come home to the same place and i know they don’t mask so i feel i’m bound to get sick. i don’t only mask for myself but for those around me and people in my community who are more at risk but i’m starting to feel crazy. my mom constantly tells me i can’t tell anyone what to do or change their mind and i know that but i’m also not trying to, i’m trying to express to them that they need to be more cautious. i just wish they cared a bit more. i’m also afraid of them getting sick so it’s just a bunch of concerns really and they insist that taking care of themselves and exercising and vaccines are more than enough but well you know. i just dont know what to do, i feel so alone in all of this. i will continue to mask but i’m just anxious and scared and want to protect those around me :(

edit: i would also like to add that all the members of my family have had covid, i never did but i might’ve been asymptomatic but my tests were always negative. my mom particularly had a very bad experience and i worry she’ll get sick again and it’ll be worse. i know its not my responsibility to make sure she’s safe all the time but yeah i dont know. at least i know i’m lowering her chances but i don’t how to relax about it all.

Hi, I'm completely new to the world of masks and I would need a recommendation.

I want to remove some scratches from glass panels and I need to polish the glass. What type of mask and filter type would be recommended for blocking glass dust?

Thanks!

Hi all! My partner and I both normally wear n95s outside of the house. The problem we're encountering right now is at his current job, he has to be in not heated areas doing manual labor. With it being very cold, he's finding a ton of condensation builds up in his mask very quickly which becomes uncomfortable. Are there ways to reduce condensation in masks during conditions like this?

For context, this is construction and the area he's working in is mostly not fully built, ie some walls, etc.

so I spent $50 on masks from Family Masks and opened the box and they are the thinest masks I've ever seen, like I can almost see through them. I can't return them (annoying) does anyone have any ideas on what I should do with them? Wear 2 at a time? Donate? Scream? ps please forgive my messy car

I'm in dire need of a haircut but feeling nervous about having a good mask for it. The last time I modified my 3M Aura into an earloop but made the loops so tight it was a pretty excruciating hour in the chair!

This time I have some Readimasks that I'm thinking of using but I'm feeling a bit worried about their effectiveness as I'm hearing that most stock is quite old at this point. Would adding medical tape around the edges be a good idea?

I'd also like to wear something over it, either a surgical mask or KN94, mostly so it looks a little less weird, but also as a bit of a back up in case it fails.

Is there any downside to doing this? I know generally layering masks is a bad idea but would a loose surgical over the top be okay?

Thank you!

I used a Fix The Mask for much of 2021; bought it in late February, used them to seal my surgical masks even for the low-risk activity of curbside pickup grocery.

Later, I thought I had better masks, but I would fly with a Vitacore CAN99 under brace, partly to be safer in general and partly because I don't specifically trust Vitacore wire on my nose, but wanted the 99.99% filtration.

Then one day months later, I was out in my KF94 (with adjusted loops), and randomly took a ferry, discovering it was an enclosed ferry with no outdoor deck. And large, and crowded. So I pulled out my brace (hiding in my backpack all this time) and used it for extra security.

A few years ago (2020? 2021?) I saw a photo of some hospital in India, with all the staff wearing surgical in FTM braces. Not as good as tested N95s, but I guess it's what they could get in bulk.

I'll be flying soon, actually my first flight on an unmasked plane, so will probably supplement whatever I choose with a brace.

But while I've seen lots of mask types around me in SFBA -- Auras, non-Vflex duckbills, KN, KF, Airgami(!), 3M 1860s, even a few elastomerics -- I don't think I've ever seen a brace in the wild. Still see lots of surgicals that would be improved by a brace...

I just tested positive for Covid for the 4 time. Every time I go on international trip I come back sick and it’s Covid.

So I have another trip coming up in January and the flight will be 20 hours long. I need a mask that is comfortable and breathable with maximum protection like N95.

Please suggest some.

The US Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic issued its final report yesterday. This is what the press release says about masks. The way it’s phrased is concerning.

“MASK MANDATES: There was no conclusive evidence that masks effectively protected Americans from COVID-19. Public health officials flipped-flopped on the efficacy of masks without providing Americans scientific data — causing a massive uptick in public distrust.”

I tried searching both here and elsewhere, but couldn't find anything - does anyone know if the ZiMi masks (frame, filters, sponge strips) are latex-free? Thanks in advance.

hi all! still masking everywhere, but my mask of choice is usually a 3M aura N95. for work, i need to be in an environment where there will be oil-based haze. i read that N95's aren't the best with oil-based haze, and it's better to go for a p95 or p100. does anyone have recs? thanks so much!

Hi all,

I picked up the medium sized 3M ultimate full face respirator and the pancake style P100 filters on Amazon over the weekend. I am recovering from a bout of walking pneumonia over thanksgiving week, that I'm honestly not entirely sure where I got it from, other than being dumb sometime in the past month and stupidly being unmasked (sadly that is the norm now it seems and peer pressure to be unmasked) which is a mistake on my part.

So anyways, I decided that it's in my best interest to upgrade from the combination of surgical mask, goggles/shield, to a full face respirator which is why I snagged this one over the weekend, so that I can potentially avoid catching anything else the rest of the long cold winter. So I'm just wondering, would I be crazy and get negative responses if I choose to make this mask a daily part of my routine when I need to go out for errands and work in an office & farm.

Are there folks in here that wear these all day long, that can give some advice as I'm still not entirely sure how to acclimatize to keeping this mask on all the time from morning thru evening except for meals, so lets say an average of 10 hours of wear per day. How would I be able to talk (it comes out muffled and hard to hear), and stay hydrated without taking the mask off entirely which I'd prefer not to do.

https://preview.redd.it/mxvrcuiv4i4e1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01bd300e7c4166b03fa06e58b21b83134f70b6eb

https://preview.redd.it/qr6z21iv4i4e1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e057f737db90c443e0ef7edcf78d4a12c89b822a

https://preview.redd.it/8ni4feiv4i4e1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5727867561f6cb90554f943ea71d1f6a38efbdaf

I’m looking for nose foam strips that I could buy from a website that isn’t Amazon. Please let me know if you have any ideas

Are these tests positive or am I losing my mind?

Hey! I’ve been trying to convince my mom to seriously mask up especially for the sake of my little brother who can’t consent to the air he’s forced to share.

Mom doesn’t think I’m serious, thinks I am anxious, and even if she did believe me about the importance of masking and prevention covid as much as possible, she has an emotionally abusive partner who would gaslight her.

I’m so worried about my little brother - I’m trying to talk to him more too, unfortunately I recently moved and live too far to see him more in person. He did understood what I was saying about the importance of masking and would wear a mask after we had a conversation about it in-person. But of course without me there, I think I’m the only person in his life that masks up, and the pressure from his household, family, friends, teachers to normalize not wearing a mask is incredibly hard to resist especially as like a 1st grader.

I’m wondering if anyone knows some great resources and info in spanish for my mom — and info made for young kids - that you’d be down to share that I could use to talk to my mom and brother about covid again.

Maybe anything encouraging my brother that would help him overcome the social peer pressure from peers, not feel alone as a kid masking up when he sees no one else is in his daily life.

Thanks everyone for your support and time.

Anyone know where I can get some grey readimasks? Or know how long they have been out of stock? I don't want to be waiting order for something that may never happen

I was looking to purchase some masks, specifically 3M Auras, and when I went on their website they give "Buy Online Dealers" and list several companies. However in this forum and other forums people have suggested websites like Stauffer Glove & Safety and EBSECan Fundraising Store as options to purchase masks and they sell 3M Auras, however they are not listed on the 3M Aura website. Are these legit places to purchase masks?

• I'm waiting to get a flo mask. How do I perform an at home fit test, and how do I clean it?
• I want to talk to the people I live with about covid/airborne disease. I've been planning on doing it for a while, but have avoided doing it and I'm now more severely immunocompromised. Does anyone have advice on bringing up covid safety while not just making it about the risk to me?
• I've just heard about sprays you can spray up your nose and throat (after interacting with people, maybe?), but I don't know anything about them/the name of them so I can start researching them. Can someone point me in the right direction?
• Now that I'm spending a lot of time in medical care, is it worth it to get one of those door hangers that requests care providers wear masks as an accessibility request per the ADA? Does anyone have one, and do they actually get respected?

(Exdited to add-- I'm interested in a flo or other type of "permanent" mask because I mask every day but have major untreated adhd which often ends with me losing masks or accidentally tearing off the straps in transit, making them worthless. I'm hoping to get a flo mask because of the temp discount and because it seems environmentally better than where I'm at now)0

I was considering getting a Flo mask. Is it good to protect against Covid? I live in Canada and saw that they don’t have the pro filters on Amazon, only the everyday ones. Anyone switch from aura masks to Flo? What are the pros and cons? And where can I buy the pro filters in Canada? Thanks :)

I’d love to try a Flo mask but not for almost $100. Any sites with “discount codes” never work. Is there an any place, or heck, anyone, that has a Flo mask for cheaper or discounted? Cyber Monday? Anything?!

Is there anyone that doesn’t want their flo mask anymore and are willing to sell theirs?

Thank you all 💚

just seeking clarification, i’ve heard mixed advice. some say i can wear it for 40 hours, or until it becomes dirty, or when elastics wear.

the site that i’m ordering from, canada strong says to dispose after 8 hours.

does anyone have evidence we can reuse them for longer? i really can’t afford to use a new one every day id appreciate any advice.

Hey everyone, has anyone tried the Zimi Small or XXS (or both) and can give feedback on how they fit? I struggle to find masks for my small face and been gathering info from all around about all masks that could fit me, but I'm not sure if the Zimi XXS would be way too small, or if the Zimi S would be too loose.

I know there is no way to tell unless you try it and it's different for each individual, but maybe this can help me decide which of them might have the best fit

Thank you!

Other than a third-party listing on Walmart’s website, they don’t seem to be sold anywhere anymore.

Aranet 4 on sale only through cyber Monday. $196!! On Amazon in Canada.🇨🇦