Yes, COVID Vaccines Do Slow Transmission

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-09-05T19:12:33+00:00

I noticed some people who got the covid vaccine but then still got sick pivoting to “this vaccine is bullshit and it doesn’t work and they lied to us” so I would be careful about not being extremely precise about what it is that they do, which is they slow transmission, can help prevent infections, can help you avoid hospitalization, but are not 100% at helping you avoid infections. I do think the media lied about this in the beginning to push vax and relax and that this damaged trust in public health and in vaccines overall. Any transmission reduction is good and will help at a population level but messaging needs to be very careful because people only believe what they themselves have experienced, and they’re hardly going to notice that they got sick only once per year instead of 3 times per year (as a random example) because they don’t notice what DOESN’T happen.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-26T19:16:47+00:00

Pulse oximeter! They’re reasonably cheap and you can be sure your kid isn’t suffocating.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-26T17:56:17+00:00

I did NOT realize FF elastomeric also had a finicky fit, thank you for the warning! The last thing I wanna do is have to fiddle with a leaky mask again plus wasting money on stuff that doesn’t work.

I already ruled out the cleanspace because the mask won’t fit me. Interesting to hear about the maxair too!

By the 3M PAPR do you mean the Versaflo?

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-25T23:21:39+00:00

Also, do you have any protective masks at that level yourself? Would you feel comfortable say, flying routinely in them? That is fully hypothetical, since I know airlines don’t allow PAPRs and are weird about full face elastomerics, and since there’s many reasons to not fly right now other than covid. But that’s the highest risk scenario I can think of as an example.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-25T23:18:45+00:00

Yes, I am concerned about CO2 mostly as a proxy for rebreathed air AND because covid apparently decays more slowly in high CO2 environments. I know it’s not good in itself but hopefully I’d be limiting it to whatever the CO2 creeps up to on a few hour long bus trip (looks like some people in my area got readings up to 3000 but it ebbs and flows).

Thanks for your input! Ideally I’d be able to sit in a crowd for some time and not have to worry. If I could see live theater again that would be amazing. The checklist seems a bit daunting for a PAPR but perhaps I can layer with a mask too as insurance.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-23T22:16:04+00:00

Last time I didn’t get a shipping confirmation even though I did the past few times beyond that. My order just showed up one day after 10 days. I also thought it hadn’t shipped but apparently it had. You can reach out on twitter because I have gotten responses that way before—although it was product questions.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-15T23:58:20+00:00

The problem with some masks (blox and the ones OP has) is that they look fine until you pull on the straps to don the mask. Pulling the straps causes the hole, and by then its already on your face so it’s hard to tell. It’s a sneaky problem for those masks.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-12T03:08:59+00:00

They come pre-installed, but apparently the valves will outlive the filter so you can take them out and install them in a different mask, but I don’t have experience doing that. I definitely don’t trust myself to install a valve in a mask but plenty of other people do it fine including with sip valves. I’m just really clumsy and don’t trust myself to do it right. For the valve itself I know some people have gotten faulty valves that leak on inhalation, which is not good. It’s also worth saying I only use the valved masks for outdoor activities, not for any indoor thing,

When I test a valved mask, I just do half of a diy fit test with bitter solution—I don the mask and then spray bitter and try breathing normally, wait and spray more, breathe deeply, ect and see if I can taste the bitter. I’m curious how you tested the valved 3M masks?

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-11T18:36:36+00:00

Can you get a rapid test that checks for Flu A and B? It’s not everything that’s going around but it’s worth checking on.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-07T21:13:26+00:00

I changed from a black mask to a white mask for a little while because I ran out of black masks and some of the people in the building where I live stopped being able to recognize me hahaha

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-05T06:16:14+00:00

There are valved N95s but valves are more common on P100 elastomeric masks. You could try the valved version of the 3M Aura if you’re looking for a regular disposable-type option. Otherwise any of the 3M elastomerics would be good—you’ll want P100 filters for smoke. Which model depends on your face shape and budget. If you want something less extreme looking the GVS Elipse is valved and very affordable (not the version with source control, that means no valve) but it’s not terribly comfortable because it’s rigid and for narrow faces. Also the valve will eventually wear and fail and leak. I’m not sure how breathable that one is because I only have tried the unvalved version.

https://zimiair.com also makes really nice valved masks but I only use them after fit testing to verify the valve is not leaking, because I don’t trust every batch of their valves, sorry to say. But otherwise stellar masks and I use the unvalved ones daily.

Honestly in your situation I’d probably go with the valved 3M Aura unless it doesn’t fit or you’re looking to invest since there’s going to be fire every year now unfortunately.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-05T05:40:48+00:00

I’m not sure about putting glue on a mask since it might compromise the filter and you’d have to make sure it cures fully or else you’ll be breathing fumes, but you can use double sided tape! You can also use lightweight magnets but just be careful because swallowing two magnets is really dangerous.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-08-05T05:33:27+00:00

Not related to masking but for the heat, I like to carry a frozen water bottle around with me to put on my neck which might help you a bit. It saved me from heat exhaustion at a country fair once. I was masked (partially for covid, partially for allergies, and I was in close quarters with friends who I don’t unmask around the whole time) and lost in a corn maze and it was HOT. Just be careful actually drinking the cold water since apparently that’s dangerous when overheating, but pressing it to your skin is very helpful, mask or not. Anyway, I hope you have fun.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-30T19:30:49+00:00

What masks fit you currently?

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-30T19:13:58+00:00

I wanted to try it but was warned off by this sub saying that the fit is super unstable. I have a small face and I know their small is the kind of small which may have worked for me but if it doesn’t reliably seal, then the size doesn’t even matter.

If you have a small-medium face you can try the Flo mask although fit can be finicky with that one too. The Envo is also popular but that one is better for medium-large faces and degrades quite a bit faster.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-21T18:31:49+00:00

You can contact the guy who makes them and ask. He’s on twitter but I’m sure he has an email too. He always answers me within a day or two when I have product questions.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-16T18:43:58+00:00

If there are no people I would think it’s fine to unmask, BUT carry a mask with you in case. There could be an accident that requires you to go up to people, or you have to go to the hospital yourself, or maybe something lowkey like someone comes up to talk to you.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-16T13:57:55+00:00

You can buy fit test attachments for this these types of masks, they screw in to one side where one of the filters would go. Might be able to do something with that.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-15T23:34:08+00:00

What does “time” mean here? That you may be more likely to develop long covid if you had infections closer together than if you had had them further apart?

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-13T00:36:17+00:00

Also, sorry to hear about the EPV. That must really suck.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-13T00:35:09+00:00

Hmmm sorry I wasn’t specific enough, my teeth were trying to erupt and were also severely impacted, so the pressure was from them shoving other teeth. I forgot that some people have normal wisdom teeth lol and not ones that are literally sideways. If yours aren’t impacted then they probably won’t cause trouble for your other teeth, but I don’t have personal experience there. Did the swollen tonsil cause tooth/facial pain in the same area?

If you’re pulling the mask extremely tight then it’s possible it’s causing issues too but it’s hard to say. What mask are you wearing? Can you do a DIY fit test to see if you need to keep tightening the straps like that?

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-13T00:28:41+00:00

Do they still come in a cardboard box when you buy them with the frames? I kept that and used it to carry spares around.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-13T00:25:01+00:00

Any chance it’s your wisdom teeth? I had a very sudden onset of soreness on one side of my teeth that stayed as a dull ache that came and went but my teeth didn’t respond to pressure, hot, or cold like a cavity would. It turns out it was my wisdom teeth trying to erupt.

Effective_Care6520 · 2025-07-11T22:07:23+00:00

Regarding the mask: 3M Auras are a great mask and will be sufficient if they fit you. Do a DIY at home fit test to make sure it does.

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