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nycdataviz t1_j5imr6n wrote

Simple solution: wear an N95 when outdoors or in the subway. Don't wait for the city to clean up the air quality, it's not going to happen.

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analphabetic t1_j5j7y67 wrote

Genuine question: if you're going to go through the trouble why not use a better rated one? e.g. P95, R99, N100, or such.

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nycdataviz t1_j5jlh69 wrote

Because those make you look like one of the evil characters in a sci-fi TV show. An n95 will only get you heckled a little bit.

But for real, there are construction workers who throw around hazardous waste that cover their mouths with handkerchiefs. I think an n95 is good enough for a short window of civilian pollution exposure, and it’s better than nothing at all.

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numba1cyberwarrior t1_j5kgfgu wrote

>But for real, there are construction workers who throw around hazardous waste that cover their mouths with handkerchiefs.

That doesnt mean its safe lol

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nycdataviz t1_j5lestm wrote

Public health efforts are all about what’s reasonable and pragmatic for large numbers of people to do to improve their lifespan and wellness, it’s not striving for perfection.

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tuberosum t1_j5k8ek2 wrote

P and R are oil proof and oil resistant respectively. Unless you need that level of protection from oil it's a waste of money.

Additionally, there's something to be said about accessibility. The disposable market is saturated primarily with N95 and the reusable market is saturated primarily with P100. Other filters (N99, N100, P95, P99, R95, R99 and R100) do exist, of course, but they represent a relatively minor part of the market and might require ordering from specialized vendors. They're not really something you're going to be able to get reliably at a local Walgreens or Home Depot.

EDIT: That's not even mentioning that for 100 (be they N, R or P) level filters you should really have a fit test in order to ensure that you're actually getting a good seal, otherwise you've really wasted money for higher protection that won't even happen.

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