Who'd A Thunk It? (Masks)

fm2176 · March 6, 2021

So, a few years ago I left a box of N95 masks in the "project house" that an acquaintance was moving into to work on, without thought about the $20 or so I was leaving behind. I found a deal on some 4-packs of N95 masks at Tractor Supply around the same time, and even found a box marked down at Lowe's. Needless to say, I had plenty for my personal use, or so I thought. Last year, when all this pandemic nonsense got started, I brought my remaining box to work and gave the masks away to coworkers who were unable to procure anything besides basic face coverings. I wore my shemagh while I could get away with it, and eventually settled for a cloth mask after the N95s I kept were worn out. For the past few months I've used surgical masks and recently bought the Milwaukee gaiter to use when in civilian clothing.

Anyway, I've seen the KN95 masks start showing up in local stores and was curious about the difference between them and N95 masks. According to this article KN95 are basically a Chinese equivalent to the N95, albeit not approved by NIOSH. I guess the N95 masks are being reserved for health care workers.

I find it humorous--in a dark sort of way--that the N95 has gone from the go-to disposable mask for tradesmen to being virtually unavailable to anyone who isn't considered a health care worker. Meanwhile, the surgical mask long acquainted with medical professionals is widely available and commonly seen in public (I keep a box handy, but reuse mine for weeks on end, because, why not?).

I got a lot of the symptoms last February/March (minus the fever), and received my second shot of Moderna this past week. Let's just say that the past couple of days reminded me of this time last year. I have to adhere to executive orders, regulations, and policies while I continue to serve, but I don't think I'll be wearing a mask after I retire unless I'm working in a dusty environment or go into a job that requires it. With that said, I'll stop here before I go into territory that doesn't belong on these forums.