Travel and masks
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- Catbabel
- Posts: 756
- Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:18 am
Travel and masks
Travelling to Europe soon (necessity, not holiday), and in a vulnerable category. What's the safest re-usable mask, currently? Is a mask and face shield helpful?
(Wasn't sure if this was best here or in pandemic area)
Cheers,
AvP
(Wasn't sure if this was best here or in pandemic area)
Cheers,
AvP
Re: Travel and masks
What do you mean by re-usable and what country are you travelling to? In many countries, your only allowed options, in places where you must wear masks, are surgical masks or FFP2 masks. In which case FFP2 are safest, but should only be reused a couple of times at most (surgical masks are officially not reusable, even if most ignore this).Allo V Psycho wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:39 amTravelling to Europe soon (necessity, not holiday), and in a vulnerable category. What's the safest re-usable mask, currently? Is a mask and face shield helpful?
(Wasn't sure if this was best here or in pandemic area)
Cheers,
AvP
If you are in a vulnerable category and want to avoid being infected, avoid any cloth masks. They are generally useless for preventing your own infection.
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- Catbabel
- Posts: 756
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Re: Travel and masks
Destination Poland.WFJ wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:50 amWhat do you mean by re-usable and what country are you travelling to? In many countries, your only allowed options, in places where you must wear masks, are surgical masks or FFP2 masks. In which case FFP2 are safest, but should only be reused a couple of times at most (surgical masks are officially not reusable, even if most ignore this).Allo V Psycho wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 8:39 amTravelling to Europe soon (necessity, not holiday), and in a vulnerable category. What's the safest re-usable mask, currently? Is a mask and face shield helpful?
(Wasn't sure if this was best here or in pandemic area)
Cheers,
AvP
If you are in a vulnerable category and want to avoid being infected, avoid any cloth masks. They are generally useless for preventing your own infection.
Re-usable, I guess I mean washable, if such a thing can be safely done. But security is more important than economy here.
I guess I am thinking about FFP3 or something, but, as I think about it, perhaps the single use disposables might be best?
Re: Travel and masks
Only FFP2 or 3 masks offer any real protection for the wearer. Disposable surgical masks only help to stop you infecting other people. They are also a lot more comfortable to wear for longer periods than the surgical masks, as although the form a tighter seal around your cheeks and chin, they do not sit so close to your mouth and lower nose.
- Bird on a Fire
- Princess POW
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Re: Travel and masks
Moved thread to the pandemic subforum.
We have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment.
- Brightonian
- Dorkwood
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Re: Travel and masks
Quick note, was thinking myself of FFP3 and on looking at Amazon reviews etc. it seems many are very poorly made (straps come off very easily) and I was suspicious of them anyway so I didn't get any in the end.
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- After Pie
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Re: Travel and masks
The hierarchy is FFP2 or 3, surgical mask (recent Bangladesh cluster randomized trial showed surgical to be better than cloth) and cloth comes last.
Double masking, cloth over surgical (cloth helps seal surgical to face), is a workable alternative to FFP2 - obviously not as good.
Double masking, cloth over surgical (cloth helps seal surgical to face), is a workable alternative to FFP2 - obviously not as good.
Masking forever
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Russian socialism will rise again
Putin is a monster.
Russian socialism will rise again
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- After Pie
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Re: Travel and masks
Since a good fit is essential for a mask to work, see the HSE guidance at https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/ppe- ... pe-rpe.htm It's amazing how many people you see with a mask that has a visible gap, rendering it useless.
Re: Travel and masks
I have a ton of FFP2 masks from work. I’d be happy to post you a few if you like.
- sTeamTraen
- After Pie
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Re: Travel and masks
If it helps: Depending on the country you are going to, you may find that you feel less vulnerable in public places than in the UK. Certainly here in Spain everyone is wearing a mask indoors and many are still doing so outdoors, and hospitality places are still taking distancing very seriously. You are also objectively less vulnerable because most of Europe has Covid rates about a quarter of the UK's at the moment.
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Re: Travel and masks
No. This is terrible advice, especially to someone who has described themselves as vulnerable. For self protection, it is FFP2/3 or basically no protection.Herainestold wrote: ↑Sun Sep 19, 2021 6:13 pmThe hierarchy is FFP2 or 3, surgical mask (recent Bangladesh cluster randomized trial showed surgical to be better than cloth) and cloth comes last.
Double masking, cloth over surgical (cloth helps seal surgical to face), is a workable alternative to FFP2 - obviously not as good.
ETA: but as sTeamTraen wrote, when out and about in Poland or many other EU countries, you would be at far lower risk than in the UK. Although flights/travelling are higher risk situations.
- shpalman
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Re: Travel and masks
Cases, deaths, and the test positivity rate are all very low in Poland (but their vaccination coverage is also a bit low).sTeamTraen wrote: ↑Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:57 amIf it helps: Depending on the country you are going to, you may find that you feel less vulnerable in public places than in the UK. Certainly here in Spain everyone is wearing a mask indoors and many are still doing so outdoors, and hospitality places are still taking distancing very seriously. You are also objectively less vulnerable because most of Europe has Covid rates about a quarter of the UK's at the moment.
If it's anything like Slovakia in August, nobody will be wearing masks outside, but everyone will be wearing them in the supermarkets.
having that swing is a necessary but not sufficient condition for it meaning a thing
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- discovolante
- Light of Blast
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Re: Travel and masks
I bought FFP2 masks but found them almost impossible to wear without there being a huge gap particularly around my nose, even with a cloth mask over the top. Any tips?
ETA the cloth mask also had a wire over the bridge of the nose to bend and help with the seal but the FFP2 gets in the way and it all just gets too cumbersome to feel like it's being particularly effective.
ETA the cloth mask also had a wire over the bridge of the nose to bend and help with the seal but the FFP2 gets in the way and it all just gets too cumbersome to feel like it's being particularly effective.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
Re: Travel and masks
Strange, the ones I've got make a really good seal and have a firm nose bridge wire.discovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:25 pmI bought FFP2 masks but found them almost impossible to wear without there being a huge gap particularly around my nose, even with a cloth mask over the top. Any tips?
ETA the cloth mask also had a wire over the bridge of the nose to bend and help with the seal but the FFP2 gets in the way and it all just gets too cumbersome to feel like it's being particularly effective.
- discovolante
- Light of Blast
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Re: Travel and masks
Do you have a link?headshot wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:13 pmStrange, the ones I've got make a really good seal and have a firm nose bridge wire.discovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:25 pmI bought FFP2 masks but found them almost impossible to wear without there being a huge gap particularly around my nose, even with a cloth mask over the top. Any tips?
ETA the cloth mask also had a wire over the bridge of the nose to bend and help with the seal but the FFP2 gets in the way and it all just gets too cumbersome to feel like it's being particularly effective.
I think the ones i had had *something* to help shape round the nose but it wasn't much use.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
- Bird on a Fire
- Princess POW
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Re: Travel and masks
I bought some random ones in the supermarket (so no link I'm afraid) - they had a ribbon of wire on the nose bridge but it was really stiff and took a fair bit of playing before I could mould it to my fizzog. Got there eventually, though.
I could tell the seal was ok, because I had to run for my flight thanks to a baggage handlers' strike (protip: pay baggage handlers) and got properly steamed up which was lovely.
I could tell the seal was ok, because I had to run for my flight thanks to a baggage handlers' strike (protip: pay baggage handlers) and got properly steamed up which was lovely.
We have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment.
Re: Travel and masks
https://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp2-respira ... of-50.htmldiscovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:16 pmDo you have a link?headshot wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:13 pmStrange, the ones I've got make a really good seal and have a firm nose bridge wire.discovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:25 pmI bought FFP2 masks but found them almost impossible to wear without there being a huge gap particularly around my nose, even with a cloth mask over the top. Any tips?
ETA the cloth mask also had a wire over the bridge of the nose to bend and help with the seal but the FFP2 gets in the way and it all just gets too cumbersome to feel like it's being particularly effective.
I think the ones i had had *something* to help shape round the nose but it wasn't much use.
- discovolante
- Light of Blast
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Re: Travel and masks
Thank youheadshot wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pmhttps://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp2-respira ... of-50.htmldiscovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:16 pmDo you have a link?
I think the ones i had had *something* to help shape round the nose but it wasn't much use.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
- Brightonian
- Dorkwood
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Re: Travel and masks
Twitter thread on how it's OK to reuse disposable masks. To cut down costs I've taken to using "single use" FFP2 masks for a couple of weeks at a time until they start to smell a bit. In practice, unless I'm on a long distance journey, I only really use one for 20 minutes every day or two in the supermarket.
- Stranger Mouse
- Stummy Beige
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Re: Travel and masks
Thanks Headshot. One of the reasons I haven’t got FFP2 so far is because I couldn’t find any which didn’t have either terrible reviews or a sky high price.headshot wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pmhttps://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp2-respira ... of-50.htmldiscovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:16 pmDo you have a link?
I think the ones i had had *something* to help shape round the nose but it wasn't much use.
I wonder if I can persuade my caree to wear one. How easy are they to breathe through?
I’ve decided I should be on the pardon list if that’s still in the works
- discovolante
- Light of Blast
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Re: Travel and masks
I use FFP3 sometimes, they're about a fiver a pop so only use them for long journeys on public transport but they're much comfier than FFP2.
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.
Re: Travel and masks
We used them when we came back to that London for 24hrs.
Virtually no one else was using anything.
Virtually no one else was using anything.
Time for a big fat one.
Re: Travel and masks
These are very comfortable and easy to breathe through.Stranger Mouse wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 1:31 pmThanks Headshot. One of the reasons I haven’t got FFP2 so far is because I couldn’t find any which didn’t have either terrible reviews or a sky high price.headshot wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:50 pmhttps://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp2-respira ... of-50.htmldiscovolante wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:16 pm
Do you have a link?
I think the ones i had had *something* to help shape round the nose but it wasn't much use.
I wonder if I can persuade my caree to wear one. How easy are they to breathe through?
Frau HS has a smaller head than me (I’m 61cm) and prefers the fit of these: https://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp2-masks-white.html
- Stranger Mouse
- Stummy Beige
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Re: Travel and masks
I thought they had a valve which meant they didn’t protect other people?discovolante wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 2:24 pmI use FFP3 sometimes, they're about a fiver a pop so only use them for long journeys on public transport but they're much comfier than FFP2.
I’ve decided I should be on the pardon list if that’s still in the works
- discovolante
- Light of Blast
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Re: Travel and masks
No you can get valveless ones.Stranger Mouse wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 3:35 pmI thought they had a valve which meant they didn’t protect other people?discovolante wrote: ↑Sat Dec 25, 2021 2:24 pmI use FFP3 sometimes, they're about a fiver a pop so only use them for long journeys on public transport but they're much comfier than FFP2.
Like this I think https://www.medisave.co.uk/ffp3-face-mask-9330.html
To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.