All About Masks
Why should I wear a mask?
The #1 reason to mask up is to protect your health and the health of others. High quality, well-fitting masks remove viruses (including SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, RSV, measles, and tuberculosis), bacteria, allergens, smoke particles, air pollution, and other harmful particulates from the air you breathe.
Masking up with a well-fitting quality mask not only protects you from airborne pathogens, but also protects others from from any pathogens you might breathe out. Since around 60% of COVID-19 transmission is pre/asymptomatic, you could spread illness without even knowing you’re sick.
With >1,000 people dying from COVID-19 every week and at least 10% of COVID-19 cases resulting in Long COVID (40% by the third reinfection), the stakes are too high to not mask up.
Where should I wear a mask?
Short answer: You should wear a mask wherever you believe disabled people deserve to exist.
Long answer: Wearing a mask is an act of community care. Since airborne diseases can be transmitted anywhere (both indoors and outside) and viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can hang in the air for hours, it is best to wear a mask whenever you will be breathing shared air.
Crowded settings and indoor locations with poor ventilation are higher risk due to the lack of air turnover, but even locations with good ventilation are safer when layers of mitigation are employed. Respirators, clean air, ventilation, and isolating when sick or exposed all reduce the amount of virus in shared air.
If you haven’t been masking consistently, start by donning a respirator in healthcare settings, pharmacies, on public transportation, and in grocery stores.
What's the best kind of mask?
Some say the best mask is the one on your face, and while this is sort of true, the reality is that certain masks are better than others.
Surgical masks (the pleated masks often used in medical settings) and cloth masks are insufficient to protect against airborne particulates, such as viruses, allergens, smoke, and air pollution.
The masks that work best are called respirators; these include N95s, N100s, elastomerics, and PAPRs. This level of mask has a lot of different classifications depending on the country they are certified in. These masks have head straps to ensure a tight and secure seal, preventing airborne viruses and particulates from getting in.
Ear loop KN95s, KF94s, FFP2s, and similar masks are a step below N95 respirators due to the fact that ear loops often mean it’s harder to get a good seal, which can let particulates in through the gaps.
What's in a face covering? More info on the different types of masks
Best: N95 / headstrap respirators
N95s are top-notch disposable headband respirators, and are considered the standard for airborne transmission control. These masks can also be classified as KN100, FFP3, or P3. N95s are made of electrostatic meltblown material that physically stops particulates, uses static electricity to grab particulates out of their path, and traps the smallest particulates as they zig-zag near mask fibers (this is called brownian motion).
When choosing an N95, you may need to try a few to find the right fit for your face; you’ll want to ensure no air is getting through any gaps while you talk or move. N95s come in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and even some colors, so if one type didn’t work for you, don’t give up! If you need suggestions for what to try next or free sample masks, let us know.
Reusable: Elastomeric respirators
Half-mask elastomerics offer a very high level of protection, and with replaceable filters, can reach excellent levels of filtration. Elastomerics are more eco-friendly than the other masks we’ve listed thus far because they are reusable, other than the replaceable filters. These respirators typically fit very securely and offer excellent protection against airborne pathogens and harmful particulates.
You often see them used in hazardous work environments, but a good number of COVID-conscious folks prefer elastomerics for their elevated protection, reusability, and long-term cost savings. Up front these masks can be a bit pricey, but if you have the financial bandwidth to shell out more up front, in the long term they can become more economical than disposable respirators like N95s.
Good: KN95s / Earloop respirators
Earloop respirators are high-quality masks that often have a closer and more secure fit than surgical masks. Like N95s, they are made of electrostatic meltblown material for efficient airborne transmission control. Earloop respirators come in a variety of styles, shapes, sizes, colors, and prints. They also come in kids’ sizes for our littlest COVID-safe people.
While these masks are not quite as secure as N95s or elastomeric respirators and likely will not pass a fit test, they do work well for certain faces, and are more accommodating of various natural hair styles due to the ear loops. Many earloop-style masks also come in versions with head straps for a better fit.
Bad: Surgical masks
Surgical masks, also referred to as medical masks, are often used in healthcare settings. These masks are made from high-quality filtration material and can be fluid-resistant, meaning they are suitable for guarding against direct splashes, but they fall short at mitigating airborne transmission due to the large gaps in the fit.
Even though these are typically the first masks to be used in medical settings, they do not provide respiratory protection against airborne diseases such as COVID-19, Influenza, RSV, Tuberculosis, or Measles, and should really be swapped for N95s or better to keep healthcare workers and patients safe.
Worst: Cloth masks
Cloth masks are the least protective type of masks. While they’re better than nothing, they only offer poor protection and are largely unhelpful in preventing inhalation of airborne viruses and particulates.
Unfortunately, they were very commonly used in the beginning of the pandemic (and even encouraged by the CDC) due to N95 shortages, and people will still wear them today because of this. Cloth masks typically aren’t the most comfortable or breathable masks, so if you’re looking for a new mask type, try an N95 or a KN95 instead.
How to wear your mask
1. Wash your hands
Wash your hands before opening and donning your respirator.
2. Open your respirator
Open your respirator and check it for defects like holes, loose straps, or other damages.
3. Place your respirator
Place your respirator your face, with the nose wire over the bridge of your nose.
4. Place the straps around your head
The top strap should rest at the crown of your head and the bottom strap should be placed near the nape of your neck. Make sure the straps are secure and lay flat against your head.
If you have longer hair you can place the top strap beneath the top layer of your hair to obscure the strap and improve comfort.
5. Shape the nose wire
Using your fingers, smooth the nose wire so that it bends to the bridge of your nose and creates a tight seal. The mask should not allow any air through the edges of the mask. Jewelry, glasses, and facial hair can compromise the seal, so you may need to adjust these as well as the nose wire.
6. Check the fit and adjust
Cover your respirator with your hands. Inhale and exhale; make sure no air is entering or escaping from the edges of the mask. When you inhale, the mask should collapse from the negative pressure. If air is coming through any gaps, adjust the nose wire, straps, and placement until it seals properly and no air can get through the edges of the mask. Once you have achieved a tight seal and no air is escaping through the edges, you are good to go.
If you are unable to get a good seal, you make need to try a larger or smaller respirator, or a different style, shape, or brand. If you need help getting a good seal or finding a respirator that works for you, please reach out and we can help troubleshoot.
Infographic image credit: CDC and NIOSH, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/publicppe/use.html.
Where to Get Masks
Free Masks
You can get free masks right here from COVID-Safe South Bend, available for local delivery or pickup. We currently only have adult-sized masks, but are working on expanding our inventory to include more varieties, including kids’ masks.
Check out what’s in stock and send in a request form here:
Masks for Purchase
There are a lot of good places to buy masks, and a few that aren’t so great. We recommend avoiding purchasing masks from Amazon, Walmart, and Target online because of extensive counterfeiting.
Instead, try Bonafide Masks, WellBefore, PPEO, Planet Halo Health, Vitacore, N95 Mask Co., CT Biotech, Indiana Face Mask, Pharmalynk, My DDS Supply, Frontier Dental, or directly from a mask supplier’s website. If you’re looking for an in-person shop, home improvement stores usually have various N95s and other masks.
This Linktree from BuyMasks has a list of discount codes, plus links to cheap masks, MRI-safe masks, kids masks, colorful masks, and other popular, well-fitting masks.
Get discount codes + affordable masks here: