I have been looking at getting some face masks for both my EDC and home kits mainly as a protection against smoke and dust, and was going to get some N95 face masks. Having just got back from seeing the movie Contagion (it was excellent!) I am now thinking I might want to upgrade the masks.

For those that don't know this movie, there is a rather nasty virus being spread around the world that has flu like symptoms but kills. The virus is spread by directly touching a carrier, and also touching a surface a carrier has previously touched (a mobile phone, an ATM, a pole on a bus etc). The virus was also airborne.

It made me wonder what sort of masks would provide protection from such a virus (obviously gloves would also be needed) but be suitable for EDC, and suitable for a home kit? If you are getting a mask with separate filters, how many filters would you need? Without getting a full on biological safe suit, what could you get to help in this kind of situation?

You do realize the movie is fiction, right? Hollywood is not very good when it comes to "factual" and "accurate."

I have not seen the movie but I have seen the premises of the movie.

I have two thoughts on it. The first being that if there were such an outbreak by the time it hit the news, it could literally be too late. But let’s think positively and assume you were not exposed thus far. If you were not exposed, you would need a filter that could clean out this virus. I am not 100% sure there is a filter that would do that.

But even a low quality mask will prevent you from touching your nose and mouth witch I believe that contingent was being spread by touch mostly (noting the trailer witch stated that the average person touches there face 20 times a minuet.)

And glasses or sunglasses that wrap around your eyes will help prevent you from touching your eyes.

Ahh yes...the germaphobe's nightmare.

It's the same as with any communicable virus (cold, flu, etc). Protect your eyes, mouth and nose.

The ridiculous Dr.No get-up that Jude Law was wearing is probably a bit overboard. The most I would venture to carry against such a scenario is a N95 and a pair of goggles or safety glasses.

Anyone remember "The Stand"? Same concept, until King goes off the deep end with good v evil.

Actually, the details about the virus and the progression of the pandemic, the difficulty creating a vaccine, how the CDC goes about investigating outbreaks by sending people out to interview sick people, etc. was all quite realistic and scientifically accurate.

Some of the plot elements involving people's actions/reactions seemed a bit quirky, but they do symbolize the quirkiness in various segments in human society. Jude Law's character represents a large segment of society, much of which we saw during the H1N1 incident not long ago. The doctor who injects herself with the experimental vaccine sybolizes our frustration with the reality of how long it takes to develop vaccines doing it the correct way. Laurence Fishburne telling his fiance to get out of Dodge shows that even the experts on the front lines fighting the pandemic are human beings. And so on.

The only face masks approved for pandemic use by the public that I am aware of so far are 3M Particulate Respirators 8670F and 8612F. They were approved a few years ago. They are similar to other soft respirators you might see doctors and nurses wearing around sick people, although the packaging and instructions are geared towards the general public.

However, think about how long the pandemic is going to last. In Contagion, it was, what? Months? That's potentially a ton of masks that would needed if you were out and about much. You could easily need several a day if you followed the instructions to the letter.

It will be very difficult to avoid being exposed to any new killer flu bug. Even with a respirator, if it's not worn correctly, or you're not 100% careful, and you touch something and then touch your eye--all too easy to be exposed. Physically trying to prevent exposure in only one layer of defense. Social isolation is the other readily available counter-measure.

There was a piece in the LA Times discussing at length the implausibilities presented in the film.

Just wash your hands, folks....

On the other hand, Halloween is coming, and you could give your biohazard suit a field test. You will stand out from a crowded field of Draculas.

Seems like the added instructions are really the only thing that differentiates these masks from other N95 masks. If you have something that meets the N95 rating and you know how to wear it, when to replace it and how to dispose of it, that meets your NEED. A WANT may include more comfortable straps, exhaust valve, etc. Anything else is just disposable money.

We do have a similar real world example, not for vaccine development, but to prove that Helicobacter pylori was the major cause of duodenal/gastric ulcers. Dr. Barry Marshall infected himself to prove that H. pylori were the primary cause of Peptic Ulcer Disease thus fulfilling Koch’s Postulates and eventually shared a Nobel Prize in Medicine for his efforts.

1985
Marshall publishes the results of self-induced infection.

Marshall, Barry (2002). "The discovery that Helicobacter pylori, a spiral bacterium, caused peptic ulcer disease". In Barry J. Marshall. Helicobacter pioneers: firsthand accounts from the scientists who discovered helicobacters, 1892–1982. Oxford: Blackwell. pp. 165–202. ISBN 0-86793-035-7.

Dr. Barry Marshall: Nobel Prize

I don't think that part was true. Yes, if you cough or sneeze at someone, they could inhale the virus, but I don't think it's likely that it would just waft around in the air.

Rule #1: Don't go out and expose yourself to it unnecessarily!

Sue

There's a difference between "implausible" and "scientifically not accurate". For example, turning dead people into walking zombies is scientifically untrue. Killing people dead in a day or so like in the movie is not the norm for most pandemics, but has happened before.

It's off topic to this thread, but if you'd like to start a new post listing what the LA Times writer objected to in the movie since I haven't seen that piece, please do and we can discuss those things and whether they are actually things to consider in a real pandemic.

I read an article saying that the movie was generally accurate. There were scientific advisers central in writing the plot. Its certainly not a typical Hollywood blockbuster type of movie.

One part that didn't make sense was how difficult it was for people to generally find supplies, but most seemed to have face masks even months into the pandemic. I would rather be a bit more prepared.

There is a rather nasty virus in this part of the world called Hendra which moves from fruit bat droppings to horses, and from there has also been found in humans (its killed 4 people, 100% of those who caught it, within 2 weeks of contracting and it basically eats the brain from the inside. Nasty.) Its also been found in dogs (caught from horses). You have to have very close contact to catch it, vets are particularly susceptible, but these things can mutate. For sure a house fire is much more likely, but these things have happened in the past (Spanish Flu anyone?). I sometimes work with horses, and was in the vicinity of one outbreak. I don't think I was in any danger but it certainly makes you think.

Link to LA Times article http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/25/opinion/la-oe-orent-contagion-disease-20110925

Link to Hendra virus wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henipavirus

Its good to know that goggles and a mask can help, probably some sort of hand sanitiser too? And of course education on how the virus transmits and how to behave.

Having never owned any type of respirator, I have no idea how long they will last or be effective for. Can anyone give me some pointers on that? Will I need thousands (impractical for me) or would a box of 20 make a difference? Is it worth getting the sort of mask that also takes filters, would they last longer? Can you somehow clean and reuse masks? Do they have a shelflife?

My thanks to you. While I was struggling to develop the link to the LA Times, you did connect to a very similar article. I will say that this movie does a bit better than the usual hollywood potboiler ( the seizure scenes were coached by medical personnel, I understand). But there are several unlikely events in the movie - the quick incubation period of the virus and the very rapid transmission, and a few other things. Perfectly acceptable for dramatic effect. I will note and do admit, that many subject experts do give the movie good marks for much of the way they handle the subject. So Contagion is better than average in this respect.

It is not that pandemics aren't real - a casual look at history shows the effects of the Black Death and the 1918 influenza epidemic. I just don't think that one needs to go out and get some exotic masks and bio suits on the basis of one movie.

I grew up during the Cold War. My quiet college town would have been a smoking crater if missiles had been launched - we were surrounded by ICBM silos deterring the Red Menace. Potential disaster, even if the odds are unlikely, is always just around the corner.

On the other hand, as I have gone through life, I have lost friends and associates. Still in high school, an acquaintance disproved a pet theory of his pertaining to Russian roulette in a very dramatic, messy way. I lost a good friend in an auto accident, and others to scuba and rock climbing mishaps. Another succumbed to diseases related to his alcoholism. Two very good associates died of cancer in their fiftieth decade - they were both consistent smokers. Another, the last time I saw him, complained that after fifteen miles of walking, his legs got sore. He was 85 at the time. He eventually expired at about 102.

So, while disasters my wipe us out, more mundane events and life style choices are more likely to lead to our demise. Let's wash our hands regularly, enjoy the time we have, and not take Hollywood entertainment too seriously.

I pack N95 masks in my briefcase PSK and in my BOB, cars and family survival box. From a practical viewpoint for me, anything larger than a N95 mask becomes difficult to pack particularly in a EDC. As one poster pointed out, one of the most important functions is to keep your hands away from your nose and mouth. The airborne particles are important too but I believe the N95 will go a long way to block those as well.

I was overseas during the 2009 swine flu scare and spent about a half day searching the small French town I was in for N95 masks. I swore I wouldn't travel without one again. Spending time in an airport during an influenza scare is not very comfortable. That would likely be ground zero for contagion entry to a country.

Izzy,

You have hit the salient points and would only add that the main reason a filtration mask works when the virus size is smaller than the pore size of a filter is due to the mode of transportation of many airborne viruses, which is by being attached to dust particles. This attachment is not by any actual action of the virus, but is due to electrostatic charges. The N95/N99 mask works because it is filtering out the dust particles with the virus attached.

Have worked in an infectious disease laboratory for more than 35 years, I can tell you that correct and effective use of any mask requires thought and some training, if it is to be anything more than just window dressing.

Pete

A box of 20 would likely not make any difference. Imagine trying to avoid catching the run of the mill cold this whole winter with just a box of 20. Remember, pandemics run for many weeks and months at a time. Well, it theoretically might work if you could stay home the entire time except for 20 quick trips into public, but how practical is that for most folks?

For the most part, I would argue that practically speaking, a respirator like an N95 provides minimal protection for your average person who isn't trained, fitted, and following a strict protocol on their use (including the proper removal and disposal of used masks). The reason that N95 masks don't really come with any instructions is because they are intended to be used as part of a whole fitting and training program provided as part of your work. That's why I listed those masks approved for use by the general public in my earlier reply.

There are just too many ways to mess it up and get exposed and for your average person who doesn't properly fit it and is just going to reuse a mask for too long until it's too soft to provide a good face seal or too moist to filter properly, etc. it's probably going to provide a false sense of security. If you're already a healthcare or lab worker and are trained and accustomed on the proper use of the respirators and change them often enough and combine them gloves, disposable gowns, etc., then the protection is higher, but even that is not foolproof.

Some may think that they'll just wear them in the highest risk situations so they don't need as many masks, like only when they're riding public transit to and from work. Statistically speaking, I suppose that reduces your chances of getting sick, but probably only just, I would think. Plenty of people at work could still infect you.

A half or full-face respirator with replaceable filter cartridges provides a much better face seal and protection, but the mask and a good supply of filters is not cheap, and that's not something that you can fold up small and tuck into your EDC kit. I don't know the shelf life of the cartridges, but none of them have an indefinite shelf life.

One alternative approach is to focus on preventing the sick people from infecting you, such as a sick family member you are taking care of. Surgical procedure masks--those flimsy paper masks surgeons or your dental hygienist wears--helps catch the tiny saliva aerosols a sick person emits when they cough or even from talking. These masks are cheap.

However, even this approach is far from foolproof. The incubation period of, say, influenza typically ranges from 1-4 days (from exposure to onset of symptoms) and you can infect others starting a day before you show symptoms. So, an infected person could pass it on to you before they even know they're sick and start wearing a procedure mask.

Assuming a raging pandemic bug doesn't burn itself out sooner, I would say you need at least a 6-9 month supply if you're going to try and rely on these masks. The idea is that you're basically trying to hold out until a crash program to develop a vaccine can be brought online. As you saw in the movie, first you have to figure out how to find a vaccine, and even if you skip the proper chain of research for safety and efficacy and start production right away, it takes many months to produce the vaccine in quantity.

Actually, during the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, it was remarkable that we had vaccine available in the same year. That was quite a feat.

So Hikermore - you saying I shouldn't have bothered getting that earthquake shelter built after watching 2012? :-) Seriously I haven't just watched the movie and started to panic, but the link in the movie to bats made me think of the local Hendra virus and, as we all do on here, I want to get better educated and prepared for whatever life might throw at me.

Thanks for all the replies folks. Its good to know that the N95 masks I was planning on getting as smoke protection could help (if used properly). If you have any links to a good procedure for their use I would appreciate it, I did find this http://www.health.gov.au/internet/panflu/publishing.nsf/Content/64A8272B09D4D5D4CA25781E000F0A8B/$File/DVD_Script_Final%2029-1-07.pdf

As I always find by reading this site, its mainly not the gear you have but the knowledge in how to use it thats key. This enables you to improvise when gear isn't available.

I certainly won't be putting a pandemic at the top of my 'threat' list right now, but I will buy a bigger box of masks than I was intending.

Does that mean if there is a pandemic, you're still going to go into work where the employees are dropping like flies, and down to the bar on Fri/Sat to pick up some girl, continue to do all your usual shopping, , etc?

IOW, you would treat it as the usual winter flu?

I don't know... hitting the local meat market (not butcher) on the weekend in a gas mask sounds both funny and ludicrous.

But perhaps I am misunderstanding you?

Sue

Yes, it seems that you are overreacting, but perhaps we are not communicating well.

N95 masks are very good items to keep on hand. I have quite a few, using them regularly on excavations. They are extremely versatile and are broadly useful. I would expect to be using them regularly when the next earthquake turns my house to dusty rubble or the next fire turn it to smoking ruins.

My god, you had two friends who lived to be 500 years old? Smokers or not, that's doing pretty well I'd say!

My point is that it's impractical to buy enough masks to last something like the Spanish Flu. That lasted from 1918-1920. Compared to that, trying to have enough masks to last through a common cold season is small potatoes, but still impractical for your average person to stock up enough masks for.

Oh dear! Oops!

Please amend to read "fifties"

I use the the N95 almost on a daily basis. It cut the instances of family illness more than in half. While i have 2 or 3 types available to me, I prefer one particular style to 'have on me'. The name everyone uses to describe it is the 'duck bill' mask. Almost all hospitals have them. They are great because they pack flat and I can carry several without really noticing them there.

Interesting experience. When are you wearing the N95? At work? Just around the house?

Reducing your colds/flus is great. I'm glad to see the success you guys have had. Unfortunately, in a deadly pandemic, it's that "other half" that could still kill you.

I don't think anyone could ever really know for sure, but I'm curious how the N95 seems to protect your family? I wonder if it's the actual air filtration, or does it simply reduce how often you touch your mouth/nose? It would be interesting to experiment and see if using even just a simple surgical procedure mask has the same effect for your family. If it does, they're certainly way cheaper than buying N95's.

LOL, yeah, those duck bill N95's are the cat's meow, fashion-wise. One of the models I have on hand is a box of the 3M 9210/37021. They also fold flat. Instead of the duck bill, they look like ... the Optimus Prime-look from the Transformers movies come to mind, LOL. It's like this smooth, flat surface across your face.