Posted on 02/26/2020 6:55:41 AM PST by Lazamataz
This study examined homemade masks as an alternative to commercial face masks. Several household materials were evaluated for the capacity to block bacterial and viral aerosols. Twenty-one healthy volunteers made their own face masks from cotton t-shirts; the masks were then tested for fit. The number of microorganisms isolated from coughs of healthy volunteers wearing their homemade mask, a surgical mask, or no mask was compared using several air-sampling techniques. The median-fit factor of the homemade masks was one-half that of the surgical masks. Both masks significantly reduced the number of microorganisms expelled by volunteers, although the surgical mask was 3 times more effective in blocking transmission than the homemade mask. Our findings suggest that a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;0:1-6).
Interesting that a vacuum cleaner bag is the most effective material, second only to the surgical mask, and not by much. I wonder if some brands that emphasize their finer filtration would work better than ones that don’t?
I also wonder if pre-treating the filter with something antimicrobial would also have an effect? I know there’s a lot of disagreement about the effectiveness of silver when taken internally, I am NOT getting into that. But there are many studies that show its effectiveness on surfaces. Soaking a mask in colloidal silver, then letting it air-dry, would result in silver being embedded in the mask itself. That would make the material a hostile environment to all kinds of microbes. I don’t know if it would help against viruses specifically, but it should keep bacteria or fungi from getting a foothold. If you’re reusing the same mask (and some patterns take enough work you’d probably want to) then that might be important. At the very least, it would be an interesting experiment to run.
If reusing masks, it will be important to have a way of sterilizing them between uses. And practice taking them off without the outward-facing side touching your face.
Maybe so but there are a few other factors to consider.
One is that you are not dependent on staff, who may not be feeling well themselves, for deliveries of food etc.
And there is more likely better ventilation, even to the point of turning off the building air handling system and opening some windows.
You can also wipe down everything someone else may have come in contact with, like entry buttons, elevator buttons, doorknobs, the mail boxes, etc.
Still, I would not want to be in an apartment building that is having an infection spread through it.
Use UV light. Amazon still has some handheld UV sterilizers.
Break out the duct tape and those size 5 Huggies diapers and your set with that water protection barrier!
Spoke with my son yesterday (firefighter on military base) and we were talking about masks. Because of his job, his unit was briefed about the virus. In short, the WuFlu is significantly smaller than most viruses. It can easily pass thru a N95 mask. He said only an N100 mask would actually stop the virus.
I can understand the cat needing cat food, but why would a cat need toilet paper?
-PJ
Some indication that the virus is aerosolized, in which case the homemade variety are no protection but do serve as a reminder to not touch your face.
My tagline straight from the idiots at the CDC.
I don’t think the cat needs toilet paper. I guess I did not word that very well. LOL
I just wanted to be clear that WE would not be eating the cat food.
This is the one
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