Masks - single use or multi-use?

[DewGuy]

If a person wears a mask (non-N95) when going out, is it good for a single use or multi-use?

[RgrF]

It maybe only good for inspiring confidence, non-N95 mask don't protect against atomized exposure. While it's not yet scientifically confirmed there seems to be a real possibility that the virus isn't only transferred through droplets. Droplets are the sort of thing a regular mask can help with, atomization not so much.

Still a mask is better than nothing so long as it doesn't lead to exposure to risky behavior due to overconfidence.

[SteveG]

one use might be enuf

[DewGuy]

RgrF wrote:
It maybe only good for inspiring confidence, non-N95 mask don't protect against atomized exposure. While it's not yet scientifically confirmed there seems to be a real possibility that the virus isn't only transferred through droplets. Droplets are the sort of thing a regular mask can help with, atomization not so much.

Still a mask is better than nothing so long as it doesn't lead to exposure to risky behavior due to overconfidence.

Based on what I've read, I don't believe that they do anything but instill a false confidence in people who are wearing them for protection. That said, if a person does wear one, can it be used over and over?

[mattkime]

>Based on what I've read, I don't believe that they do anything but instill a false confidence in people who are wearing them for protection. That said, if a person does wear one, can it be used over and over?

Its my understanding that they'll instill (false?) confidence through multiple uses.

I wore a scarf over my face when I went to the grocery store. Did it do anything? I'm not sure, but cost wasn't high.

IMO its a good idea to keep a mask reserve just in case you need to rely on them.

[RgrF]

Why not?
If they don't do anything now then they won't be doing anything after a dozen or so hand washes.

[DewGuy]

I guess what I'm getting at, is, if you wear one of the non-N95 commercially made masks, and it theoretically works, gets contaminated with the airborne virus, and then you continue to wear it, are you going to be putting yourself at a higher risk?

[Carm]

Scarf/bandana/cotton reusable mask over n95 mask? Multi layer. That’s what some are suggesting to prolong use of n95 mask.
Last place I went was Costco, they have sneeze-cough guards on registers, wife said Wally Mart has the same with ominous announcements about distancing and mask use in parking lot and inside the store. No more music playing.

[Carm]

Contaminated mask is contaminated. Disinfect maybe? -UV light

[Spiff]

True. It is now the recommendation that a surgical mask be worn over the traditional N95 mask. This helps with the longevity of the N95 mask as it can be worn the rest of the day this way. You cannot wear a surgical mask over a duckbill N95 mask. Ruins the seal.

Surgical masks themselves protect up to about 50% of environmental pathogens, so I read. So it is doing something, just not 100%. Given the life span of the virus on cloth vs solid surfaces (seems to last longer on smooth nonporous surfaces), I would think that you can "refresh"a mask by letting it sit for a day or three.

If it "works" as noted above (i.e. the mask was exposed and caught most of the dirty stuff), you should not continue to use it that day or repeatedly immediately thereafter. You will be spreading the virus. You need to let it alone for a few days, let the virus die, then you can use it.

Brings up an interesting question. Can you lysol spray a surgical mask? I bet you can and it will "refresh" it that much sooner. You cannot do this with an N95 mask given the multiple layers that go into making the mask. Getting it wet will start to ruin/degrade certain layers, thus making the mask ineffective.