Eliminate COVID Now with Tight Fitting, Efficient Masks

Details on Mask Options are Available from Fix the Mask

Essential Mask Brace is Effective and Inexpensive

University of Iowa Researchers Find That a DIY Mask Brace is Very Effective

Cambridge  Researchers Call for Immediate Adoption of Efficient Face Masks

High-Filtration (Hi-Fi) Masks Identified by Patient Knowhow

Off-the-shelf Hi-Fi Masks Listed by Fit the Mask

Strait Times of Singapore Reports that 129 Billion Masks are Discarded Each Month

Combining the Essential Brace with Acteev Anti-microbials

Blended Huemanity Selling Masks with Acteev

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Eliminate COVID Now with Tight Fitting, Efficient Masks

 A tight fitting efficient mask initiative should be given the highest priority because

·         The pandemic ends immediately with everyone wearing tight fitting efficient masks 

·         These masks are available

·         The cost is nominal

Everyone can be wearing highly efficient masks within weeks. This includes commercial designs plus DIY braces for medical masks. These DIY accessories e.g. three rubber bands can be eliminated over time as commercial options are amply available.

Here are the important facts and considerations

·         When transmitter and recipient wear masks with a Fitted Filter Efficiency (FFE) of 90%, the combined efficiency is 99% and only 1% of the virus could be inhaled. Virus inhalation risk is 70 times less than with poor fitting cloth masks and 20 times less than with loose fitting medical masks.

·         FFE 90 masks are the equivalent of a 99% lockdown.

·         COVID is transmitted in small aerosols. If the emitter is wearing a FFE 90 mask the load falling on surfaces is reduced by 90% making surface transmission even more unlikely.

·         With FFE 90 masks we return to normal activity and the pandemic ends.

Fast Track FFE 90 Program Objectives

·         Immediately change every general mask mandate to specify efficiency. A nonspecific mandate is the equivalent of saying every football player should wear head covering.

·         Create Safe Bubbles which can only be accessed by FFE 90 wearers.

·         Require Safe Bubble operators to insure each entrant is properly wearing his FFE 90 mask.

·         Do not wait for proactive government initiatives. Let the Safe Bubble operators (Schools, Fitness Centers, Churches, Malls, etc.) lead the way.

·         Encourage Comfortable Attractive, Tight Fitting, Reusable  (CATER) masks suppliers to increase production rapidly.

·         Guide those who cannot afford or acquire CATER masks to properly wear medical masks with a brace which insures a tight fit.

Fast Track FFE 90 Program Elements

·         Build on initiatives such as the  ASTM 20/50 and EU equivalent

·         Utilize the free CATER Mask Decisions (CMD)  to provide a forum for those with important information to convey

·         Quantitative, Qualitative, and Cursory Fit testing needs to be expanded. This can be evolutional and should not delay implementation.

·         The benefits of creating Safe Bubbles should be explained to every major building or transportation operator.

·         Programs can be implemented with the help of associations such as ones representing fitness centers, high schools, churches etc.

·         Governments can be a guiding force but we should not wait until they can be fully vested.

The mask should be viewed as a medical device but with the added burden of being an acceptable article of clothing. Those who can afford CATER masks will want them. The DIY brace is equivalent of using a shirt as a tourniquet on the battlefield.  It is not ideal but it will save lives.

The FFE 90 Mask initiative will be discussed in an open forum on January 21 at 10:AM central standard time.  Data will be displayed which is on the  CDM site.  If you have a contribution which should be considered, it can be added in one of the Daily Alerts prior to the forum.    

You can register through the CATER Mask Decisions Website http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/CATER/subscriber/default.htm

For more information contact Bob McIlvaine at rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com

Details on Mask Options are Available from Fix the Mask

Devabhaktuni Srikrishna is the founder of Patient Knowhow    https://www.patientknowhow.com/about/#research. Its mission is global health. Using the Patient Knowhow platform, researchers and doctors from around the world are discovering the best patient education on YouTube and related research on PubMed. Patient Knowhow aims to uncover the most reliable and easy-to-use information about disease prevention, transmission, causes, and treatment.

Devabhaktuni  has collaborated with  Sabrina Paseman  who has a   website and initiative titled Fix the Mask https://www.fixthemask.com/

It is devoted to the subject of improving surgical mask efficiency by use of a brace. A $15 Essential Brace is available although the website also shows a DIY design where only a rubber sheet and scissors are needed.

Extensive quantitative testing has shown that a surgical mask with a brace can equal an N95 mask. An N95 mask can achieve a 98% fitted filter efficiency. Billions of surgical masks are being produced. If the wearers also used the reusable brace they  could average 90% FFE. So 10% emission from the transmitter and 90% removal by the recipient means that he inhales only 1% of the virus. This 99% virus reduction is more protection than vaccines and would allow quick return to normal activity.

McIlvaine has a forecast showing that a combination of mask types can provide the necessary protection. In the second quarter there would be a need for 9 billion surgical masks (Upgraded Disposable). Three billion braces would be needed.

CATER mask production should accelerate to a production rate of over 2 billion per quarter by the end of 2022.

Essential Mask Brace is Effective and Inexpensive

The Essential Mask Brace was designed using the 3D printed heads from the NIOSH Anthropometric Data.

It was then tested on human subjects, following the OSHA-standard ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter (CNC) quantitative fit testing protocol.

A number of these tests are displayed on the website and demonstrate the considerable effort which has been made to prove the brace’s value.

The group is also currently also collecting data with the Bitrex (Denatonium Benzoate) Solution Aerosol Qualitative Fit Test Protocol. So far It has had 32 individuals pass.

Find their latest dataset comparing different masks here.

Breathability

The level of breathability of N95 respirators is measured by inhalation resistance and exhalation resistance. The group tested a few different types of masks using the NIOSH test protocol, and found the following results. 

The brace is needed in surgical masks because they do not have a fit layer. N95s have an extra layer to provide the tight fit.

 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRdTsH6l6zs 10:03, https://www.nap.edu/read/11637/chapter/4#23

The Fix the Mask Group has compared the performance of various commercially available masks.

Resistance for both surgical and cloth masks was also tested

The consumable available masks can be researched as follows:

Armbrust USA: https://www.armbrustusa.com/collections/medical-face-masks-made-in-austin-tx/products/usa-made-surgical-masks-1?variant=34596435099781

Herogard: discontinued

Zubrex: https://www.amazon.com/ZUBREX-Disposable-Safety-Face-Protection/dp/B088BY7YPX

Safe Warrior: https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/safe-warrior-disposable-face-mask/ID=300401401-product

KiBreez: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/tools/workwear-and-safety-gear/respirators-and-face-masks/2007158

Costco (BYD): https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/byd-general-purpose-face-mask%2C-single-use%2C-one-size%2C-50-ct.product.100378349.html

Outdoor Research: https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/face-mask-kit-283298

Healthcare-available Masks

DuPont: https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/sierra-proced-mask-w-earloop/19088879

Crosstex: https://www.henryschein.com/us-en/dental/p/infection-control-products/face-masks/secure-fit-ultra-mask-l3/7740093

Essentials: https://www.henryschein.com/us-en/dental/p/infection-control-products/face-masks/essentials-procedure-mask-l1/1126761

University of Iowa Researchers Find That a DIY Mask Brace is Very Effective

Study Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread shortages in personal protective equipment, including N95 respirators. While basic surgical facemasks are more commonly available, their efficacy is limited due primarily to their poor face seal. This pilot study examined the impact of a rubber band mask brace on a basic surgical mask, as determined by quantitative fit testing.

Methods Subjects wearing a basic surgical facemask and the rubber band mask brace underwent quantitative fit testing using machinery designed to certify N95 mask fit. Subjects were tested with the brace anchored behind their eyes, with a paperclip behind the head, and on the side knobs of their face shields. The primary outcome measure was whether the subject passed the quantitative fit test at or above the OSHA verified standard for N95 masks.

Results Subjects (n=11) were 54.5% female, with a median height of 70 inches (IQR 68-74), weight of 170 lbs (IQR 145-215) and BMI of 24.6 (IQR 22.2-27.2) and encompassing 5 distinct N95 mask fit types. We found that 45%, 100% and 100% of subjects passed the quantitative fit test when the brace was anchored behind the ears, with a paperclip and on a face shield, respectively.

Conclusion Of the 11 subjects included in the analysis, across a range of body habitus and N95 mask fit types, all passed the quantitative fit test when the mask brace was anchored on either face shield or with a paperclip. This data suggests the brace would offer an improved margin of safety when worn with a basic surgical mask.

 

A - C demonstrate the way that the three rubber bands are knotted together. D - G demonstrate how to anchor and fit over a mask using a paper clip. H - I demonstrate how to fit and anchor the rubber bands using a face shield with side knobs. The red arrows in image G demonstrate proper positioning on the bridge of the nose and below the chin. The red circles in image H indicate proper position of the brace knots inside the edges of the mask

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.18.20099325v1


Cambridge  Researchers Call for Immediate Adoption of Efficient Face Masks

A June study suggests that an entire population wearing masks of just 75% effectiveness can bring a very high ‘R’ number of 4.0  all the way down to under 1.0, even without aid of lockdowns.

The researchers call for information campaigns across wealthy and developing nations alike that appeal to our altruistic side: 'my facemask protects you, your facemask protects me'. The findings are published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

“Our analyses support the immediate and universal adoption of facemasks by the public,” said lead author Dr Richard Stutt, part of a team that usually models the spread of crop diseases at Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences.

Dr Renata Retkute, coauthor and Cambridge team member, said: “The UK government can help by issuing clear instructions on how to make and safely use homemade masks.”

Cambridge researchers worked to link the dynamics of spread between individuals with population-level models, assessing varying degrees of facemask adoption combined with periods of lockdown.

The modelling included the different stages of infection, and transmission via surfaces as well as air. Researchers also considered negative aspects of mask use, such as increased face touching.

The study suggests that an entire population wearing masks of just 75% effectiveness can bring a very high ‘R’ number of 4.0 (the UK was close to this before lockdown) all the way down to under 1.0, even without aid of lockdowns.

In fact, masks that only capture a mere 50% of exhaled droplets would still provide a 'population-level benefit', even if they quadrupled the wearer’s own contamination risk through frequent face touching and mask adjustment – a highly unlikely scenario.

High-Filtration (Hi-Fi) Masks Identified by Patient Knowhow

Patient Knowhow has been on the lookout for better masks with these properties. Below are a short list of off-the-shelf options you can purchase online as well as a number of new mask designs that push the envelope in these dimensions. Which is best? Patient Knowhow is not making any recommendations because it seems the right mask for each person is different based on their preferences, but at minimum they need to promise N95 level filtration and have features to form a seal (fit) with the face. Many good options are available off-the-shelf.


Off-the-shelf Hi-Fi Masks Listed by Fit the Mask

3M Elastomeric

Reusable N95 mask (eN95), NIOSH-approved, with matching P95 filter sold separately.

It was recently adopted by the Fire Department of New York using a higher filtration filter (P100) that is significantly harder to breathe through but offers even greater protection compared to the P95

Envomask

Reusable N95 mask, NIOSH-approved, that uses a silicone gel to form a seal around the face written up in Wall Street Journal

O2

Consumer mask, not NIOSH-approved, but has test results

Softseal

Disposable N95 mask, NIOSH-approved, that builds on the traditional N95 design by using silicone to form a seal with the face. Their video does a good job of explaining why in addition to the filter material a proper seal is important.

Airgami

Uses a folding design based on origami principles to achieve a tighter fit with the face. Winner of a competition run by Johnson & Johnson and BARDA. Although not yet NIOSH approved they are working towards approval.

Fix The Mask

A brace or harness to improve the fit of commonly used surgical masks

Although not yet NIOSH approved they are working towards approval.

Maskforce1

An elastomeric mask in use by first responders made by a Wisconsin auto-parts manufacturer that uses a symmetric, flat-filter design (so no exhalation valve).

Although not yet NIOSH approved they are working towards approval.

Canopy

Clear face mask with high-performance filter

Although not yet NIOSH approved they are working towards approval.

Leaf

Clear face mask with HEPA filter.

Breathe99

Tight seal with high-efficiency filter

Readers can find details on many reusable masks in CMD.  Companies such as Purar,Vogmask  and others are identified in keyword search of the Alerts.  If you click on the intelligence system and then on the key word fit you see very extensive documentation on the fit testing for Vogmask.  five sizes are available to accommodate all the face types.


Strait Times of Singapore Reports that 129 Billion Masks are Discarded Each Month

Wearing a face mask in public places has become the norm in most countries, as the world continues fighting to keep the Covid-19 pandemic at bay.

Experts now estimate that each month, 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves are used and disposed of globally. (McIlvaine questions whether 8 billion people are wearing 16 masks per month.)With a surgical mask weighing roughly 3.5g, that would equate to 451,500 tonnes of masks a month and, when placed next to one another, cover an area roughly three times the size of Singapore.

Conservationists and non-governmental organizations are increasingly concerned that a lot of the plastic waste, especially pandemic-related waste, is ending up in landfills, waterways and oceans, adding to the millions of tonnes of plastic waste already dumped into the world's oceans every year.

Disposable masks are usually made of polypropylene, a type of plastic that cannot be broken down quickly in the environment. Most masks consist of three layers and are made of composite materials that are difficult to separate, making them unsuitable for recycling.


Combining the Essential Brace with Acteev Anti-microbials

If the outer layer of a mask is an antimicrobial such as available with Acteev from Ascend Materials the mask can be reused without concern about accumulated live virus on the mask surface.  In poorer countries and areas where filter media is in short supply it will be desirable to reuse masks which would otherwise be disposable. The Essential Brace is reusable for a long period and can be washed without deterioration.  So when this is combined with  surgical masks which are reused a number of times there will be large amounts of protection available.


Blended Huemanity Selling Masks with Acteev

A new line of face masks combining comfort with protection is available now from Blended Huemanity, a wellness essentials provider that combines cutting-edge technology with natural, wearable materials to help fight the spread of COVID-19. Founded by a Houston entrepreneur (Accel Lifestyle founder and CEO Megan Eddings) in collaboration with a Houston-based materials innovator (Ascend Performance Materials), Blended Huemanity's mission is to help keep people safe.

Blended Huemanity's Co-Founder CEO Megan Eddings in Blended Huemanity's Acteev Protect Nonwoven Mask. A new line of face masks combining comfort with protection is available from Blended Huemanity, a wellness essentials provider that combines cutting-edge technology with natural, wearable materials to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

Blended Huemanity now offers the Acteev Protect™ Nonwoven Mask  and the Acteev Protect™ Fabric Mask with Filter, from Ascend Performance Materials. These new masks are reusable and general purpose masks, featuring powerful built-in antimicrobial technology, which inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and fungi. The masks are soft, breathable, comfortable, and gentle on the skin.  Blended Huemanity's Acteev Protect™ masks are an ideal choice for anyone seeking better protection, comfort, and breathability.

"The collaboration between Accel Lifestyle and Ascend Performance Materials brings together two powerhouse companies, with expertise in science, fabric, manufacturing, branding and consumer products," said Blended Huemanity Co-Founder and CEO Megan Eddings,  who is also founder & CEO of Accel Lifestyle.

"If the last few months have shown us anything, it's that the need for face coverings isn't going away," Eddings said. "We all want to return to normal life – sporting events, family gatherings, hugs with friends – but we want to do so safely and comfortably."

Acteev Protect™ Masks are made with Acteev™ technology, which incorporates active zinc ions in a polymer matrix, focusing on destroying microbes.  "Acteev's active layer of defense uses safe, environmentally friendly active zinc ions embedded into the matrix of the polymer – not a chemical spray that will wash away or flake off – meaning these masks can be used again and again," said Phil McDivitt, CEO of Ascend, the company that invented Acteev™.

Ascend is currently working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to obtain appropriate regulatory clearances to make specific claims regarding the Acteev™ technology's antiviral properties.

"When returning to regular activities, people want a mask that is comfortable, well-made, reusable and easy to breathe through," McDivitt said. "Our scientists and engineers invented a process for creating a revolutionary new fabric that checks all the boxes. Acteev™ fabric is incredibly soft to the touch and moisture-wicking to keep the face cool, and it's more breathable than other materials used in masks."