If protecting yourself during an avian flu or other pandemic is the reason for the N95 mask, just remember that you'll need at least one mask for each day you'll be around other people. And pandemics often come in several waves, with each wave lasting potentially weeks, so you'd need a lot of masks.

But even putting the supply issue aside, just so you know, there isn't any good research out there on the use of masks by average people during disease outbreaks. If you're in a hospital or laboratory setting, gown up, get fitted for a mask, take them off properly and wash your hands, etc. then they should provide some protection. But out in the real world where the "3 second rule" applies to food dropped on the floor? It's questionable that they will help as much as people hope for. You should search for other threads we've had in the past about masks for other comments.

But since you're in California, they'll also make wonderful, but expensive, dust masks in case the Big One reduces our cities to big mounds of concrete dust. Or in case the wind blows smoke from wildfires your way. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />