As a retired contractor, I have a LONG history of using 3M N95 paper masks.
I still have a box on the shelf labeled as 8210's, double elastic bands.
It also contains the leftovers from about 1/2 of another box added to it.
It's been a while, but it seems that I used to pay quite a bit less than $20/box.
I would buy them by the case.
Then during the eruption, when we were inundated on occasion by the expelled sulphur gasses, sometimes so thick it was like a nasty London fog, I picked up a few 3M 6220 respirators and acid gas cartridges for them.
The mask itself cost $10.
The cartridges were more.
I still have 3 or 4 masks and 4 sets of cartridges, 3 completely unused.
The last time I checked, $60 and more was the going price for just the mask.
During the first days of the epidemic, I purchased a number of P100 filters (6 pair) for the 6220 mask.
The price on those has also skyrocketed.
But, they have a lifetime rated as 30 days when used everyday, all day in a working environment modified downward by the amount of actual dust present in the air.
I'm still using the first pair I installed.
I still have 5 pairs as backup.
If I go into public once a week, I'm going a lot.
The mask normally just sits in my car for when I need it.
Viruses are dispersed directly from person to person [doner to recipient] and maybe from surfaces recently passed by carriers.
Their lifetimes are usually calculated at best as being hours when exposed.
Watching the idiots that misuse the masks or other much less efficient methods, makes me very happy I have the equipment I do.
It protects me from them, and everyone else from any bad luck I may end up with.
I still have a box on the shelf labeled as 8210's, double elastic bands.
It also contains the leftovers from about 1/2 of another box added to it.
It's been a while, but it seems that I used to pay quite a bit less than $20/box.
I would buy them by the case.
Then during the eruption, when we were inundated on occasion by the expelled sulphur gasses, sometimes so thick it was like a nasty London fog, I picked up a few 3M 6220 respirators and acid gas cartridges for them.
The mask itself cost $10.
The cartridges were more.
I still have 3 or 4 masks and 4 sets of cartridges, 3 completely unused.
The last time I checked, $60 and more was the going price for just the mask.
During the first days of the epidemic, I purchased a number of P100 filters (6 pair) for the 6220 mask.
The price on those has also skyrocketed.
But, they have a lifetime rated as 30 days when used everyday, all day in a working environment modified downward by the amount of actual dust present in the air.
I'm still using the first pair I installed.
I still have 5 pairs as backup.
If I go into public once a week, I'm going a lot.
The mask normally just sits in my car for when I need it.
Viruses are dispersed directly from person to person [doner to recipient] and maybe from surfaces recently passed by carriers.
Their lifetimes are usually calculated at best as being hours when exposed.
Watching the idiots that misuse the masks or other much less efficient methods, makes me very happy I have the equipment I do.
It protects me from them, and everyone else from any bad luck I may end up with.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.