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Coffee filters as face masks?

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Enthalpy:
Hello everyone!

What do you think about misusing coffee filters as makeshift face masks against Covid-19? Several countries lack face masks in the present epidemic.

At least the shape fits the function. Cut the paper to fit the face better. Hold it on the face with surgical tape across the whole rim.

Whether paper is good? Under rain it won't last long. The pores in a coffee filter are wider than a virus, but I understand a face mask stops only the droplets that contain the viruses.

Marc Schaefer, aka Enthalpy

chenbeier:
In accidentally cases, this can work. But I would not recommend it generally.

Enthalpy:
Today at the supermarket and on the way by foot, I've worn a coffee filter for about 1.5h as a face mask. Observations:

* I was too lazy to put surgical tape across the whole rim, only a few pieces perpendicular to the rim. They held.
* Breathing through the paper wastes a manageable pressure, even when pressing the rim airtight. But the filter's volume stores exhaled air. Better a smaller volume.
* Walking with it was fine. A strong effort on a bicycle wouldn't.
* The other Sapiens reacted about normally to it. Cats were afraid.
* Obviously, I ignore how much protection it brings. But it didn't hurt.
* The filter is useable for a longer time under dry weather.Two women, one being an identified governmental spook, told me spontaneously and loudly "Masks don't serve", which is the official propaganda despite masks are requisitioned for medics which are homo sapiens too. The least sly explanation is that masks are too scarce for the whole population in Europe, so governments allege they would be useless.

Corribus:

--- Quote from: Enthalpy on March 16, 2020, 08:04:11 PM ---Today at the supermarket and on the way by foot, I've worn a coffee filter for about 1.5h as a face mask.
--- End quote ---
Pic or it didn't happen!


--- Quote ---
* The other Sapiens reacted about normally to it. Cats were afraid.
--- End quote ---
I LOL'd at this.


--- Quote --- despite masks are requisitioned for medics

--- End quote ---
I don't know what the scientific line is about this, but based on intuition (and the fact that they are named after surgeons) I think surgical masks would seem to be better protection of other people from you, than protection of you from other people.

Enthalpy:

--- Quote from: Corribus on March 17, 2020, 10:52:50 AM ---[Enthalpy: worn a coffee filter as a face mask] Pic or it didn't happen!
--- End quote ---
Do you imagine a platypus?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus
I looked the same, except I don't swim so well.


--- Quote from: Corribus on March 17, 2020, 10:52:50 AM --- I think surgical masks would protect other people from you, more than protect you from other people.
--- End quote ---
Quite possible! I'm willing to protect other people too.

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