Since COVID is really popping again, I'm going back to masking. I would wear KN95/N95s but those stink after a while and you can't wash it. Cloth masks aren't as effective but has to be better than nothing, right?

Is there any special type of mask which can be reused and washed while having ok protection against COVID?

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Cloth masks are better than nothing in the same way putting anything over your mouth will be better than nothing. Really, you’re not getting a lot of protection

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QH1xiOZFGxo&t=3s

This lack of protection is fine outside, where the virus doesn’t spread too much, or in spaces with low amounts of virus particles, but as the concentration of virus particles go up, you’re gonna want something with more protection.

Surgical masks are better, but surgical masks are mostly meant for fluid protection. This is fine if a virus is being spread by droplets, but one of the things we’ve learned throughout the whole Covid pandemic is respiratory viruses are really mostly exchanged through aerosol.

To deal with aerosols, you want a “resporator” - an n95 (or kn95 or kn94). This is filtering at least 95% of particles in the air, usually more.

A surgical mask and a cloth mask is not designed for air filtration, which makes them poor protection against Covid. They are also not designed for being tightly fitted, leaving a number of gaps which is not what you want when dealing with aerosols. You’re right that they are “better than nothing,” but they are not “good” and if you want real, robust protection, you need a respirator.

I use benehal n95s that I buy off Amazon. Also a lot of people recommend 3m auras.