How do you tell? No Idea, 3m says look at the packaging container, gone, only the plastic clamshell left for the 8210s. One can hope it is still good I guess. I drank a soda pop past the expiration date, tasted fine!
An exercise in futility? No theyāre better than nothing, but they do require fit testing at least initially when used medically.
See step 2 in the use instructions: ā2. In the U.S., before occupational use of this respirator, a written respiratory protection program must be implemented meeting all the requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.134, such as training, fit testing, medical evaluation, and applicable OSHA substance specific standards. In Canada, CSA
standard Z94.4 requirements must be met and/or requirements of the applicable jurisdiction, as appropriate. Follow all applicable local regulations.ā
For regular industrial uses, fit testing possibly isnāt as critical as it is in the medical field (depends I suppose on what youāre trying to filter out exactly). (note, that particular N95 I donāt believe is one of the fluid resistant varieties too)
This is the one I use at work in the ER, and I need to be fit tested yearly to ensure that it still seals properly:
No I agree that N95s are effective. However, if theyāre being used in a medical environment, they must be fit tested to ensure proper fit and seal. There are different sizes available in each type of N95 (if you click on the link above to the one I use, youāll note it comes in 2 sizes, regular and small). So when we fit test at the hospital, they determine whether you get a better seal with the duckbill style (mine) or the more common painters style, then they check your size. Youāll put it on and seal it properly, then they put a hood over your head, and spray a sweet tasting liquid into the hood imitating droplet particles. Youāll move your head around in multiple directions while reading from a script while itās in the hood. If you can taste the sweetness, youāll fail that fit test and need to try a different mask/size.
Bing gets his news from the Conspiracy network. So Sadā¦At least they stopped calling it fakeā¦but way too lateā¦damage is done.
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Sheesh. Doesnāt take much to trigger some of you folks. Just gotta try to cancel anyone that has a different opinion. Jessie, the Gov. used to call them Sheeple.
I told my pulmonologist MD, who works with COVID patients at a hospital, what you wrote about testing N95 masks. He never heard of individual testing that you describe, nor does he see the need. What hospital do you work in?
Nobodyās trying to ācancelā you
We just enjoy āgoing back and forth with youā 
I work at one of the hospitals affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. Weāve been fit testing at my hospital for over a decade. With all due respect to your pulmonologist, I disagree with him. Maybe yearly fit testing is overkill, but it should be done at least every other year in the medical field to ensure that you have the proper sized and type of mask for your faced. We do have people who donāt fit test, and they can wear PAPRās instead (essentially a hood that is connected to an air purification unit).
My best friend is a critical care nurse at RWJ-Barnabas, and they have also been doing āfit testingā of masks for quite a few years.
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Two friends with 30+ and 40+ years respective experience, one as a swallowing and speech therapist and the other as a respiratory therapist, have yearly fittings for N95 masks.
To bring this back to being car related, the CRT friend retired this spring but immediately began doing contract traveling CRT work where most needed. He bought a small second hand RV as being both the safest and least expensive housing while doing eight to sixteen week stints out of town. He sets up camp in an RV park. The lower gas mileage of driving a vehicle capable of towing still costs less than renting a B&B in each place.
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Perhaps the confusion is that you are describing procedures used for HCP treating COVID patients and I and my dr are talking about ordinary people, not HCPs. In any event, I intended to correct an erroneous post that said N95 masks donāt work. I hope that was accomplished.
Well yes, you accomplished bringing up a 9 month old discussion at the beginning of the virus issue. Maybe I said they donāt work, I dunno that was 9 months ago and I donāt remember what I had for breakfast. I think what I related was what the CDC said, and of course their advice has been like a roller coaster. Now as far as where we have come from then, all these people running around with who knows what quality masks including home made, and think they are safe, I think is not proven science. Bottom line is though if your mask leaks either incoming or outgoing, it will be less than effective. Just remember there are lots of unknowns about transmission at this point so I wouldnāt focus too much on mask fitting. Transmission has not been adequately explained for group care homes and there was one study that suspected transmission through the plumbing vent pipes. The statement was made early on that trying to stop a virus is like trying to stop the wind.
As far as @db4690 I donāt mind discussion or disagreement but some just canāt stop insults and name calling and of course are never wrong. Just start connecting dots and there are a lot of them to connect.
Iām done with this one unless someone wants to get profane again.
You can state your opinion anytime you want. But donāt expect not being called out on the conspiracyās you seem to quote from the conspiracy network.
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This isnāt the place to debate the conspiracy stuff, or argue about cable news networks. Then once Mike mentioned conspiracies, we have a return volley about sheeple and cancel culture. Weāve all seen where these types of exchanges go. Our first wave was in March and April and letās not have another one here for the winter. Thanks.
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Thatās a shame 
I had Post honey bunches of oats 
hereās a question to you guys working in shops . . .
Does your employer provide you with sanitizing spray?
Ours does, in addition to plastic seat covers and plastic steering wheel covers
You work for the gummint, and they are much more likely to provide services like that.
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Possibly, although you did say that your pulmonologist worked around COVID patients, so who knows. 
I certainly hope so, because on this point, I think we all agree.
I wouldnāt say a lot anymore. Itās transmitted primarily via droplet/aerosol from close contact with another person. For non-intubated patients the primary hot zone is 6 & 10. 6 feet or less for 10 minutes or longer. It can be transmitted via contact on surfaces, but thatās less likely.
My mechanic does. He brought a trashcan out to remove the seat covers and steering wheel covers after inspection before he returned the car to us
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municipal, to be exact
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Donāt automatically assume such things. When I worked for the child protective agency in my state, our office was housed in a building owned by a State Senator (probably some sort of ethics violation, butā¦). We had MAJOR problems with black mold that was making people sick, with frequent A/C failures in a building with windows that did not open, and with plumbing problems that were a health hazard.
The office manager called the stateās Buildings and Grounds people frequently, to no effect. Finally, one very candid guy from that department told usā¦ āuntil The Red Senator dies and his family sells the building, there is literally nothing that I can doā.
Also, our case workers were still driving 10 year old Ford Escorts equipped with automatic seat belts that no longer worked. Ergoāno seat belts. (See, Carolyn, I was able to bring this back to an automotive topic! 
)
The health hazards for state workers were ridiculously numerous, but we just had to live with themā¦ as best we could.
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You should have taken the story to a TV news outlet. They would have loved beating on the owner. Newspapers would likely have enjoyed joining in too. All that, of course, and long as the complainers could remain anonymous. Senator Ratboy could have made the complainersā lives very uncomfortable.
Senator ratboy?