I’ve made a few short videos to explain how I personally handle masks. My philosophy is that if you’re going to wear a mask, why not wear one that does the best job it can? Loose masks, such as surgical masks with their gaps on the sides, worn and handled carelessly, do almost no good at all. On the other hand, I think that a good mask, well fitted, can reduce your risk by a large percentage, something on the order of the benefit you get from good fresh air ventilation.
The first video is an introduction to masks and mask-wearing. I mention “N95” and “KN95” masks in the video. Our current favorite N95 mask is "Kimberly-Clark PROFESSIONAL N95 Pouch Respirator (53358), NIOSH-Approved, Made in U.S.A., Regular Size, 50 Respirators/Bag, White” which is widely available. KN95 masks are even more widely available and we don’t have a particular brand recommendation.
The second video is one I made a few months ago, when I first got a new type of mask that FINALLY eliminates the problem of re-breathing your air, and does it in a very clever way. I made the video completely tongue-in-cheek as if my company had developed and was selling the mask. WE ARE NOT. But it explains the device well. The company that makes it, in China, apparently makes a wide range of air purification products including big equipment installed in buildings, much like the equipment that we specify and use in buildings here in New England. So I’m guessing that it really is a HEPA filter in this product and that it really works. This mask is available on Amazon and other places—search for "BROAD AirPro Mask Rechargeable Reusable Air Purifying Respirator with a HEPA Filter."
I tested the BROAD AirPro Mask for several months, found that it can be worn comfortably for many hours, and that I like it better if I use a different (N95) mask than the KN95 masks supplied with the package. It’s easy to modify any mask of your choice to work, and I made a video showing how to do that.
Finally, you're not getting the most out of any mask if you just stuff it in your pocket when you’re done, and then pull it out to reuse the next day or at the next store. This video shows how I have been handling masks for the last year and a half. These techniques may seem bothersome to you at first, but for me it’s now a familiar habit that seems no trouble at all.
I join you in hoping that 2022 brings us the end of everyday mask wearing! But in the meantime, here is what I have developed to make the best of it.
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