Can you help me buy masks

[Myshitisreal]

Hi there

I work in a very high risk environment in a concert hall. Our work supply us with disposable masks - a picture enclosed.

I would like to buy masks which will protect me as much as is possible (and others as well of course).

I know of FFP2, N95 and Cambridge masks. It just all gets a bit confused in my head - which is the highest level of protection.

My first choice isn't disposable, but i will go with that if its most viable.

Are there washable masks of the same grade? I'm able to practice very good mask hygiene. I just need a bit of help.

Please note, this isn't to discuss the merits of masks, and my choice to want to try to be as protected as possible.

I just need help picking the right /best types. Happy to look at links /specifics.

Very much appreciate any help

I need to catch up properly.

I appreciate the costco recommendation but I'm afraid we don't have it here. It might help someone else though 🤞

I would definitely buy a Cambridge mask without the valve. I know what northern Irish people are like - people would constantly comment on the valve and how it's not safe. It would draw too much discussion/attention for my liking (yes the valve is closed. Oh really? How's that? It has a thingmymcjobber. Oh so.... etc etc Etc etc). I can even see mom mask wearers having the balls to question it.

Someone mentioned double masks. Can you explain. Do you mean a cloth mask covered by one of the blue/white ones like in my picture? I think for me that would be a bit clunky. Can't imagine it being comfortable. Anyone done this?

Our work has 2 types of those medical ones in the picture. The one pictured - that brand is far too big for my face and they end up in my eyes a lot, despite using the nose clip. That leads to me poking and touching pulling it out of my eyes constantly as it creeps up my face and I don't like that. I don't want to touch it. Its 50/50 as to which masks are available the time i arrive so actually I've never really sat and thought about how them creeping up my face makes them much less effective.

Thank you for all the kind replies. I don't really post threads on mumsnet, and i was waiting to get torn to pieces for something. So Thank you.

I think I'm going to look at a Cambridge mask. I like the idea of it being washable.

What temperature do we think masks need washed at? Just as an Aside.

FFP3 is the best, which blocks nearly 100% of covid particles but they need to be fitted well. FFP2’s are pretty much just as good and they are usually easier to find.

Surgical masks and cloth masks don’t really offer much protection to you but rather to others from you.

I wouldn’t buy off Amazon or any site that looks a bit off. Too many fake ffp2 & ffp3’s around.

Lloyds Pharmacy I've found to be reliable.

Yeah sadly there's far too many people sick enough to make money from all this. At the start i got taken badly buying fake sanitiser online. I was furious. I contacted the manufacturer and gave them a list of fake listings they got their legal team involved....

I tried contacting trading standards but that fell flat. I looked at the amazon masks linked here but the reviews are fairly terrible from a quality point of view.

I know there's coding and stamps which apply but I just get a bit lost and only get so far.

Lloyd's - that's a great call thank you!

I didn't think these blue and white ones were much good but people see the word "medical" and think they're amazing.

Medical /surgical. Can't be sure which they're described as.

Yes these are the masks I've been using from them:

lloydspharmacy.com/products/purity-labs-ffp2-face-masks?variant=33095873822783

They have a bendy white metal strip that goes round the back of your head, that you fasten the straps into.

Or you can just strap the mask over your ears in the usual way. But using the metal strip gives a tighter fit.

The Cambridge masks are FFP2 which is equivalent to N95. They are EU certified as well.

FFP3 is equivalent to N99 and is a higher level of protection.

If the Cambridge mask's valve is left active, it still offers a high level of protection to the wearer, but none to the people around them.(exhalations go straight out through the value, just like they go straight round the edges of visors). The valve can however be shut off

You really need to test an FFP3 to see if it is protecting you - there are proper test kits for this, but I just blasted DS's Lynx into my face from 3 inches away, and when i couldn't smell it, I know the fit must be pretty damned good

I've just bought FFP2 masks delivered today, but they don't seem to fit very well - air gets in around the edges at my cheeks.

How are you supposed to make them fit? Or is it just a matter of trying different brands? Nothing else seems to bend, though maybe I could tighten the elastic a bit if I tied a knot

They steam up my glasses more than the cloth ones, too, despite the adjustable strip at the nose.

I’m after youth size or small ffp2 and struggling to find these (or any size particulars) noted on Amazon. Please post if you find any?

These are good for larger faces:

FFP2 Masks, Disposable FFP2 / KN95 Face Mask, 5-Layer Filtering FFP2 Face Masks EN149: 2001 + A1: 2009 Mouth and Nose Protection Masks FFP2 www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08WN7T4X2/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_api_glt_fabc_8ZFMFYT431NRYN8A0SY4?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

These are the non valve ones

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Type-IIR-Surgical-Mask-3-Ply-Medical-Grade-2R-EN14683-CE-Approved-50-Masks-Box-/184626716426?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

These are the ones i use, used them since the beginning and not caught Covid yet… (Touch wood)

Anyone know the washing instructions for Cambridge masks please? I can't find anything on the website

@greenlynx

You can also get FFP2 and FFP3 from builders shop that sells protective equipment e.g Screwfix.

By the way it’s preferable to buy valved mask ( easier to breathe) especially if you wear glasses.

i thought the valved ones were not recommended because they force your exhalations out in a plume which is likely to travel further, like putting your finger partially over a water hose. thus other people are more likely to be hit by your exhaled breath, which may be harbouring the virus unknown.

I'm not interested in valved.

The Cambridge masks in looking at are US based and US delivery. I'm uk.

Am I missing something?

Cambridge site - UK version

cambridgemask.com/collections/all

They have non-valved models and you can add valve deactivators for 70p for the rest of the range

Washing instructions are in the "product care" section of the FAQs

info.cambridgemask.com/hc/en-us/categories/360004098431-Product-Care

Can't believe all the shilling for "Cambridge" masks! That guy must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Just get disposal FFP2s from a reputable firm and don't give those shysters any more money.

My only issue with people buying n95 masks etc is we have to be 'fit tested' to make sure we can fit them to our face with absolutely no leaks at all to ensure we're protected as hcps.

If you have a leak or don't know it's not fitted correctly it's not going to protect you. But good for you for wanting to protect yourself

@manolantern I'd be happy to listen to why they're shysters? I've only heard of them on here.

I bought these to use on trains: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B092VSFV2S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

Which? have done a survey of the best reusable ones. I use cloth ones to go into supermarkets etc as I am not in there long. www.bing.com/search?q=which+reusable+masks&cvid=6aaac1b472c34778b51cf2870d7e2b4e&aqs=edge..69i57j0l6.2388j0j1&FORM=ANAB01&PC=U531

Because they have nothing to do with Cambridge (the university or scientific community), they are just feeding off positive associations that the name has.

They know they are selling valved masks which are not appropriate for a pandemic. Try wearing one of their masks on an airplane and you will soon be told!

They could have done the honest thing of withdrawing their product from stock, or making clear they were only for use as anti pollutant masks for cyclists etc. And then selling only unvalved masks.

Instead they came up with the idea of putting a sticker on the valves instead of withdrawing their unsuitable and overpriced product from sale.

As a result a lot of people are being fooled into buying unsuitable masks, and the number of people wearing valved masks increases. And the company just get richer and richer off the back of the pandemic.

BTW I have no personal knowledge of the firm but I did read an interview with the guy in The Guardian early on in the pandemc last year which was part of an article on what masks were suitable. He obviously did very well out of that publicity.

I dislike this firm with the vehemence I imagine people felt in WW2 for wartime profiteers!

Thanks i appreciate the considered reply.

The name brings no positive association for me. Its just a name. I know what you're saying about the valves and in principle I don't agree with the valve masks either. I've no idea how effective their "fix" is.

I want a mask which will protect me as much as possible when 1000- 2000 people are spraying aerosols singing all at once. I'm not sure how much ventilation van overcome that.

I'd like not to use disposable if possible. So I guess I need to decide if principles come over my need to feel safe and protected.

I've not heard of any other non dispoable high protection masks, but if you know of any please let me know

I'm cev and I've been using Cambridge throughout the pandemic on riskier situations and cloth in othera. They lasted on 18 hours of door to door plane travel and a recent gig and I have not had covid. I block the valves with the free sticker provided and find they are comfortable to wear and fit tight for long periods of time. I wipe out the inide with a little alcohol on a cotton ball and then let air dry., and swap out for a fresh one every 4 months.

Before we flew transatlantic I looked at all the available options like you are doing and didn't want to fork out the cash on disposable ffp2s when a non disposable option was available. They often have really good sales too like buy 1 get one free or 4 for 1 in summer. Why not get one and give it a try?

This is the trouble, I haven't been able to find a good replacement for Cambridge masks. They say the valved ones are certified FFP2 and I haven't found another re-usable mask that does is. They are not ideal, particularly in regards to fit, but if you want FFP2 protection, what's the alternative? Disposable ones are so expensive if you might be using a few a day, and I've found to my cost that fit is very variable.

There are re-usable respirators that you can buy which I'm sure would be better, but they don't seem to be socially acceptable (I've seen people laughing at them as they look so over the top). The Cambridge ones just look like ordinary face coverings. If there is something similar but better available from a more "reputable" company I would happily through my money at it, but I haven't seen it!