# Sourcing alternate masks



## christopher.. (8 Jul 2020)

A new thread on non medical face masks? Any recommendations for easy to wear masks? 
I am finding it difficult to get used to wearing the fabric masks. We have been told to wear masks at all times in work except for eating. 

The moisture builds up and the inside of the mask gets wet and my glasses fog up. It is hard to hear people through the masks. You cannot see their facial expressions. My breathing is laboured. Any tips? 
We are in pods and we are not allowed to use visors. I touch my face more wearing a mask as it gets uncomfortable. I have started changing the mask every 2 hours which is fine. I cannot fimd the black fabric masks with vents. I dread going to work.. I am 100% in favour of wearing masks but the above conditions make work 100 times harder.


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## odyssey06 (8 Jul 2020)

When shopping I wear the blue 3-ply 'surgical' masks. You can get these in cheaply  now in places such as Dunnes, Boots.
I bag them up and re-use them after they have been set aside for a few days.

I wear glasses and had trouble with fogging up but this helped:
* The masks have a metal strip at the top. Form this around the bridge of your nose
* Breathe out through your nose as much as possible, the air is cooler and the shape of the mask vents this to the side more

As an aside it does seem strange to me you are in a pod but also have to wear a mask all the time.


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## christopher.. (8 Jul 2020)

Thank you for the tips. I will try breathing through my nose. 

It is impossible to keep a 2 meter distance from colleagues at work. 
There is scientific evidence that the virus remains active in the air for up to 2 to 3 hours in an indoor setting (WHO and ECDC). I wonder is this why masks have become mandatory in certain areas. I know of several research facilities and industries that have adopted mask wearing due to community transmission. 
I genuinely would like to know what masks other people are using as I have underline health conditions.


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## odyssey06 (8 Jul 2020)

My understanding is that only the respirator masks (H95) will protect you fully - but are also the most difficult to wear in terms of effect on your breathing.

Surgical (3-ply blue) masks \ face coverings are not air tight. If you have the virus you will be breathing it out and people can breathe it in.
The surgical masks and coverings are most effective at containing coughs \ sneezes \ specks of saliva \ large droplets.
If you are in an enclosed space with a carrier for a long time within 2 metres, they will eventually exhale, and you will eventually breathe in, enough of the virus to infect you.
A 1 metre distance is only 70% effective at distancing you from a carrier.
This is why ventilation is important as the airflow will disperse the particles, and limiting time spent in sustained close contact with other people from outside your household.


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## Leo (8 Jul 2020)

christopher.. said:


> I cannot fimd the black fabric masks with vents.



Your workplace may not like the masks with exhaust valves, as they offer no filtration on your exhalation.


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## christopher.. (8 Jul 2020)

They have not said anything yet. Breathing in carbon dioxide is not great.


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## Leo (8 Jul 2020)

christopher.. said:


> Breathing in carbon dioxide is not great.



Yet you do it all the time and here you are! There is no risk of carbon dioxide poisoning from wearing a face mask! Anyone suggesting there is such a risk has a Trump-esque grasp of science.


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## EmmDee (8 Jul 2020)

I have glasses as well - I don't mind the cotton masks too much but I would say the best masks I have used for the breathing and glasses issue are the blue surgical masks. So if you're particularly affected, try those


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## odyssey06 (8 Jul 2020)

I havent tried this hack myself... some people put a small piece of tissue or cloth on their nose under the mask to help prevent fogging.


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## Leo (8 Jul 2020)

Some further reading for anyone who may believe there's a risk of carbon dioxide poisoning related to mask wearing. 



> But Dr Nina Shapiro, professor at UCLA School of Medicine, told Euronews that face coverings "do not have any impact on CO2 levels in regular individuals".
> 
> "[N95 masks] have been used for fire/smoke protection, and for workers in construction for many years".
> 
> ...


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## Up Rovers (8 Jul 2020)

Saw this tip recently on how to avoid fogging of the glasses when wearing a mask:

'Quick tip of the day on how to wear your mask, specially if you wear glasses  (Note: Dish soap and water – According to the American Optometric Association, dish soap is a great way to clean eyeglasses. Rub a small amount of dish soap on the lenses using your fingers. But be sure to avoid citrus based dish soaps that contain damaging fruit acids or soaps with softeners that leave behind a residue)'

Probably need to log into Facebook to view this:



			https://www.facebook.com/kinsealypharmacy/videos/2301412433488331/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDA5MTE2ODU1MDozMzU1NjcyMTg3Nzc5MTIw/


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