How to wear a surgical or N95 face mask when Indonesia hazes us!

Discussion in 'Adrian Wong' started by Adrian Wong, Jun 25, 2013.

  1. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    We are under attack again by the Indonesian weapon of mass destruction - the dreaded haze...

    As usual, there's a mad rush for surgical and N95 face masks, with both types sold out at practically all pharmacies. We also find enterprising (and unscrupulous) Malaysian "entrepreneurs" online and on the roadsides hawking their stash of surgical and N95 masks at exorbitant prices. Even some medical suppliers have seen it fit to jack up their prices by 5X (if not more!).

    If you are lucky enough to obtain N95 face masks, congratulations because short of wearing a respirator, the N95 face mask offers the best respiratory protection against the haze. However, you must make sure you read the instructions on how to wear it PROPERLY! If you do not learn to wear the N95 face mask properly, it's not going to filter the air for you.


    Wearing The N95 Face Mask

    Here are the steps to properly wear the N95 face mask :

    1. Cup the mask in one hand. Leave the two straps alone but make sure they are out of the way.

    2. Cover your nose and mouth with the mask, making sure it covers your nose and mouth completely, and the two straps are not in the way.

    3. Take the upper strap and pull it over your head. Adjust it so that it lies above the ear.

    4. Take the lower strap and pull it over your head. Adjust it so that it lies below the ear.

    5. Pinch the metal strap on the top of the mask so that it conforms to the shape of your nose. This moulds the mask so that air cannot come in from the sides of your nose.

    6. Breathe in and out deeply. You should not feel air coming in from the edges of the face mask. Adjust the mask until you are breathing in only through the face mask, and not from the sides. When properly fitted, breathing through the N95 face mask will take some effort.

    If you need more help to wear the N95 mask, here's a nifty video to help you learn how to do it :



    Wearing A Surgical Face Mask

    To be honest, the surgical face mask isn't designed to filter air pollutants. It's really meant to catch liquid droplets and aerosol spray from the WEARER'S nose and mouth, to prevent the wearer from contaminating others.

    Still, it is better than nothing in the haze. To maximize its effect, this is what you can do :

    1. If possible, get the plain strap version of the surgical mask. The ear loop version is easier to wear but cannot be tightened to fit the face tightly.

    2. In the usual 3-ply surgical mask, the cotton filter is in the middle, with an inner water-absorbent layer and an outer water-resistant layer. However, this is of no consequence when dealing with air pollution, so it doesn't matter which way you wear it, as long as the metal strap is at the top.

    Despite what people tell you, wearing the white side outwards won't block the dust (or viruses for the matter) anymore than wearing the white side on the inside will. Of course, there are good reasons why doctors wear the coloured side out, but as far as the haze is concerned, it's pretty much the same thing even if you flip it.

    3. When you wear the surgical mask, cover as much of nose and mouth as possible. The top should extend right up to the bridge of the nose, while the bottom should wrap under your chin or even to your neck.

    4. Squeeze the metal strap at the top of the surgical mask to conform to the shape of your nose.

    5. Tie the straps as tightly as possible. Optimally, you should breathe through the surgical mask, not from the sides of it.

    HYPOTHETICALLY, "lightly wetting" the surgical mask should improve its filtering performance vis-à-vis air pollutants, but it could also prevent proper breathing if it's too wet. So experiment and see what works for you.

    Here is a great video on how to wear a surgical face mask :



    If You Have Nothing

    If you cannot find a face mask of any sort, don't panic. A wet face towel works just as well, if not better, than a surgical face mask. You can also wrap a wet scarf around your neck.

    These cloth-based ad hoc air filters aren't very effective dry but if you wet them, they are pretty good at filtering out the pollutants in the air.

    Just don't try bread... :haha: :haha:
     

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  2. PsYkHoTiK

    PsYkHoTiK Admin nerd

    I actually started cracking up in the office with the bread pic... LMAO!!! :haha:

    But not funny, the haze sucks... :(
     
  3. The_YongGrand

    The_YongGrand Just Started

    Thanks for the important information.

    Few days back, the haze was so bad, I felt like a fish outside the bowl. This haze just took my breath away! (no pun intended)
     
  4. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    The haze really sucks... Even with the N95 mask, and air filter running 24/7 in my condo, we were all coughing after the first 2-3 days.

    Ryan couldn't stay inside the small condo for more than 3 days, so we fled to Penang for a couple of days. LOL!

    Man... We never learn to appreciate good air quality until the haze hits!
     
  5. Adrian Wong

    Adrian Wong Da Boss Staff Member

    Still, I have seen smokers puffing outside in the haze... That's really crazy... It's like they are impervious to the haze.

    I have also seen smokers wearing N95 masks and taking them off to smoke.. LOL! :haha:
     

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