3 Things to Know about Coronavirus Masks
Written by Jazzy T on February 28, 2020
The Corona Virus aka #Covid19 has a lot of us wondering what we can do to keep ourselves safe.
Washing your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds is the first thing we should all do to prevent the spread of any virus or flu. I also keep hand sanitizer in my car and in my purse.
Images from the epicenter of the outbreak in China show thousands of people wearing face masks when out in public. But before you reach for the first box of masks you can find, here are three things you should know.
- Going, Going.. Almost Gone: Face masks are selling out online and in stores across the U.S. I have personally searched several stores here in Monroe County and only found one box at an ACE Store in Canandaigua. The store manager told me the warehouse will not be able to restock due to import restrictions quarantines at freight ports.
- NOT ALL MASKS PROTECT AGAINST #COVID19 The only face mask I was able to find in store is a dust mask with a nose brace. My husband uses this kind of mask while painting and working in other hazardous work environments, like buildings that may have asbestos. But the box of dust masks that I bought has a very specific warning:
“Do NOT use this mask for exposure to airborne biological agents including H1NI (swine) flu virus, bird flu, SARS or other bacterial or viral agents. Using this mask against these substances can result in severe illness or death.”
Using a NIOSH-approved N95 respiratory mask may help reduce the exposure to these contaminants. “An N95 mask is the one that is most practical,” according to Dr. Andrew Stanley Pekosz of Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It stops 95% of particles of a certain size. … There is a N99 mask, which blocks 99% of particles, but that mask is difficult to wear for long periods of time because it is hard to breathe through it.”
3. PRICE SURGE: Amazon and Ebay do have some N95 masks available, but it will cost you. Consumer demand for the medical masks is surging, even as government officials say healthy individuals do not need to wear the masks. A 10-pack of 3M N95 respirators that sold for $18.20 on Amazon a month ago, now costs around $100. On eBay you can find ONE N95 mask for $28.99.
