A couple of practical questions: does it make sense to buy one and also use it to not spread random colds / flu / covid, or if I start using it the efficacy drops after a while?
And how bad is it if I sneeze inside? That gives me nightmares from when I was wearing FFP2 for covid.
also use it to not spread random colds / flu / covid
If your goal is not spreading (“source control”) then you should wear one that filters the output (no valve). I think the ElastoMask Pro is a good option there: manufacturer, Amazon.
Efficacy drops pretty slowly: the mask body itself shouldn’t degrade, and the filters mostly degrade by being clogged with dust (which in normal environments is at least 6m). You can get extra filters cheaply.
how bad is it if I sneeze inside
Not an expert in this, but my understanding is it’s gross but not dangerous. You could consider also having some disposable masks to wear when you’re sneezy?
I would note that during the 2020 pandemic, it was not easy to get replacement filters. I recall that in April 2020 replacement filters were hard to get on less than a 2-3 month lead time.
Interesting, sounds useful.
A couple of practical questions: does it make sense to buy one and also use it to not spread random colds / flu / covid, or if I start using it the efficacy drops after a while?
And how bad is it if I sneeze inside? That gives me nightmares from when I was wearing FFP2 for covid.
If your goal is not spreading (“source control”) then you should wear one that filters the output (no valve). I think the ElastoMask Pro is a good option there: manufacturer, Amazon.
Efficacy drops pretty slowly: the mask body itself shouldn’t degrade, and the filters mostly degrade by being clogged with dust (which in normal environments is at least 6m). You can get extra filters cheaply.
Not an expert in this, but my understanding is it’s gross but not dangerous. You could consider also having some disposable masks to wear when you’re sneezy?
I would note that during the 2020 pandemic, it was not easy to get replacement filters. I recall that in April 2020 replacement filters were hard to get on less than a 2-3 month lead time.
Definitely! Storing replacement filters in addition to the masks themselves seems good.