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How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by kevwr1962
I was enjoying dinner with a friend outside at a local beer garden. I didn't have my mask on as it is hard to drink beer. Someone lit up a cigarette and out of curiosity I put my mask on to see if it would filter out the smoke. No, could still smell it/breathe it in. So I came home and looked up the size differential between cigarette smoke and Covid 19 virus particles. This ain't good.
"From these measurements it was found that tobacco smoke as it comes from a cigarette is an extremely concentrated aerosol with a relatively stable distribution of sizes ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 micron, peaked between 0.2 and 0.25 micron." *
"Coronavirus particles (fancy scientific name “virions”) are spheres with diameters of approximately 0.125 microns (125 nm). The smallest particles are 0.06 microns, and the largest are 0.14 microns." **

Wow. if my mask can't stop cigarette smoke, how the heck is it going to stop the Corona virus? I'm actually all for wearing masks inside. I think it is proven that people in a confined space transfers the virus more readily. Still not convinced that outside is near as bad.. I think cigarette smoke probably travels farther than the Corona virus.

*https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 2260900374
**https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/can ... ronavirus/

Re: How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by AV8R
kevwr1962 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:11 pm I was enjoying dinner with a friend outside at a local beer garden. I didn't have my mask on as it is hard to drink beer. Someone lit up a cigarette and out of curiosity I put my mask on to see if it would filter out the smoke. No, could still smell it/breathe it in. So I came home and looked up the size differential between cigarette smoke and Covid 19 virus particles. This ain't good.
"From these measurements it was found that tobacco smoke as it comes from a cigarette is an extremely concentrated aerosol with a relatively stable distribution of sizes ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 micron, peaked between 0.2 and 0.25 micron." *
"Coronavirus particles (fancy scientific name “virions”) are spheres with diameters of approximately 0.125 microns (125 nm). The smallest particles are 0.06 microns, and the largest are 0.14 microns." **

Wow. if my mask can't stop cigarette smoke, how the heck is it going to stop the Corona virus? I'm actually all for wearing masks inside. I think it is proven that people in a confined space transfers the virus more readily. Still not convinced that outside is near as bad.. I think cigarette smoke probably travels farther than the Corona virus.

*https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 2260900374
**https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/can ... ronavirus/
the mask won't stop all of the virions, but according to the article will stop anywhere from 80-95% of them. I think the virus has to enter your system in enough quantity to successfully cause Covid-19. If you can block 80% of them little critters you stand a lot better chance of not getting sick.

Re: How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by RambleOn
From my understanding, wearing a mask or face covering helps keep what an individual expels from going less distance into the surrounding air. I wear a mask to protect others and hope they are wearing one to protect me. Doesn't help if you sneeze and don't have both the mouth & nose covered.

Re: How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by Pock
AV8R wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:41 pm
kevwr1962 wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:11 pm I was enjoying dinner with a friend outside at a local beer garden. I didn't have my mask on as it is hard to drink beer. Someone lit up a cigarette and out of curiosity I put my mask on to see if it would filter out the smoke. No, could still smell it/breathe it in. So I came home and looked up the size differential between cigarette smoke and Covid 19 virus particles. This ain't good.
"From these measurements it was found that tobacco smoke as it comes from a cigarette is an extremely concentrated aerosol with a relatively stable distribution of sizes ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 micron, peaked between 0.2 and 0.25 micron." *
"Coronavirus particles (fancy scientific name “virions”) are spheres with diameters of approximately 0.125 microns (125 nm). The smallest particles are 0.06 microns, and the largest are 0.14 microns." **

Wow. if my mask can't stop cigarette smoke, how the heck is it going to stop the Corona virus? I'm actually all for wearing masks inside. I think it is proven that people in a confined space transfers the virus more readily. Still not convinced that outside is near as bad.. I think cigarette smoke probably travels farther than the Corona virus.

*https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 2260900374
**https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/can ... ronavirus/
the mask won't stop all of the virions, but according to the article will stop anywhere from 80-95% of them. I think the virus has to enter your system in enough quantity to successfully cause Covid-19. If you can block 80% of them little critters you stand a lot better chance of not getting sick.
I think you nailed it. A mask shouldn't be a partisan issue. I've been trying to wear a mask in public since almost the beginning. I do sometimes forget to wear it in the gas station but the reason I started before it was trendy is anytime there is an outbreak of Coronovirus the people most experienced with the virus, Asians, put on masks. It is the very first thing they do.... so I threw on a mask!

Re: How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by LovelyRita
I have some cloth masks I keep in my car for errands. We've each got an N95 for times we'll be inside for longer than 15inutes or so.

Re: How good is your Covid Mask?

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:30 pm
by RPlant
RambleOn wrote: Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:49 pm From my understanding, wearing a mask or face covering helps keep what an individual expels from going less distance into the surrounding air. I wear a mask to protect others and hope they are wearing one to protect me. Doesn't help if you sneeze and don't have both the mouth & nose covered.
I think this flyer was helpful in explaining in fairly simple terms.

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