I’ve been wearing CVS’ small surgical mask with an adjustable cloth mask on top bc it’s what I had available. but I;m getting anxious with the amount of exposure I’m forced to have recently, so I want to upgrade when I get paid. I’ve had 3M Aura Particulate Respirator 9205+ (is this the same thing as n95?) in my bookmarks for a long time, are they good and do they fit small people? what else should I consider? I would prefer something reusable/low waste but effectiveness is a bigger priority… i am too fried to research what works and what does not and to what degree especially with all the covid misinformation out there so thank yall knowledgeable people in advance
https://www.cvs.com/shop/3m-aura-particulate-respirator-9205-n95-mask-3-ct-prodid-478946
If this is what you are referring to, yes they are EXTREMELY tight and small. I think I have a pretty average sized head and it was horribly uncomfortable actually. And yes those are n95
https://www.amazon.com/BNX-Particulate-Respirator-Protective-TC-84A-9362/dp/B09TCLMCDS
these are too small for my big ass head so might be worthwhile to look at. amazon is usually not a great place for masks due to the possibility of fakes but these are sold directly by the manufacturer. fakes will still be as good as a surgical mask but likely lack the technology that makes them n95.
as a quick primer: n95 is a standard set by NIOSH that uses static electricity to filter out particles that are otherwise really difficult to filter with normal surgical or cloth masks. KF94 and KN95 are similar standards set in Korea and China respectively.
if you find legit ones of anything that meets one of those 3 standards and fits your face you’ll be in a good spot.
if you’re dealing with a lot of exposure, another couple layers you could add would be cpc mouthwash and xylitol nosesprays. they both have been shown in a few studies to be relatively effective at preventing contracting the disease and even lessening it if you do get it.
I use Xlear nose spray and I think just a crest mouthwash before I leave the house and after I return for just those extra layers of protection.
