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Upgrade Our Masks for Omicron

“We need to upgrade our masks for OMICRON!” said Pediatrician Dr. Clara Lee.

Dr. Lee has taken care of many children and families affected by the COVID pandemic. A mother herself, with 2 kids, 5 years old and 2 years old, Dr. Lee is also a covid survivor. She had COVID in November, 2020. Her two young children never had COVID because they are really good at wearing masks.

Dr. Lee recommends KF94 masks for adults and children. They are made in Korea of four layers of material that filter up to .4 microns. When purchasing KF94 masks, be sure to look for the KFDA and FDA clearance on the website. The masks should also display the DuPont logo.

Led by researchers from The ABC Science Collaborative at Duke Clinical Research Institute, a study published in PEDIATRICS finds Universal Masking contributed to a 72% reduction of secondary transmission of COVID, compared with optional masking.

1,112,899 students and 157,069 staff attending 61 K–12 school districts in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, California, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, and Texas participated in this national study.

In a peer-reviewed paper, authored by Virginia Tech Engineering Professor Linsey Marr and UCSF Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Monica Gandhi, we learn how masks, made out of multiple layers of nonwoven or tightly woven fabrics, filter out viruses that are carried in aerosols, with the amount varies depending on the fit, seal, design and the materials used.

A viral particle doesn't travel alone. It’s usually contained in larger particles of saliva, salt, and proteins, spreads from an infected person when this person exhales, sneezes or coughs. Particles less than 0.3 microns move in “Brownian motion” — a zigzag way, which explains why they are trappable by charged fibers. Not all masks provide the same level of protection. Some masks can filter smaller particles. It's important to measure the risk and choose the right masks, and we need to do this together to stop the spread. With Omicron BA.2 rising in cases, it's important to mask up in indoor environments to prevent another wave in the U.S.

The following are brands recommended by Dr. Lee:

Happy Day

Evergreen Cleantop

You and I

Good Day

Cocomong

Blue tiger

ANYGUARD

Dr.Puri

SUMFREE

Additionally, Dr. Lee also recommends Nanofiber-Based masks from Happy Masks

Can KN95 and N95 masks be reused?

Yes! But it must be done safely. Dr. Kaitlin Sundling recommends air drying your N95 or KN95 masks for 5 days and you can reuse them again.

Dr. Sundling rotates between 5-7 masks. She keeps her high filtration masks in separate brown paper bags after each use. Potential virus contamination dies off in over 5 days. Rotate your masks so that you have one available for each day.

Replace your masks if the straps break, the fit is poor, they look dirty or smell bad. In non-healthcare settings, you can safely reuse your mask for at least 40 hours of wear time.

Here is what NOT to do: Don't spray your N95 or KN95 with anything, including alcohol. Don’t wash it. Don’t bake it. Don’t do anything that will degrade the respirator filter which can capture over 95% of the particles from the air that passes through it.

Where to get your High-Quality Masks?

Beware of Counterfeit Respirators! The CDC has a page on their website which helps you identify counterfeit respirators. 60% of the KN95 masks in the market are counterfeit. A KN95 that meets an international standard, through validation by 47 authorized labs in China would be stamped with “GB2626-2019”, an accreditation scope code.

Real N95s have been inspected by NIOSH. The exterior markings should have the NIOSH logo, a TC-Approval number, including N95, the filter efficiency level.

KF94, Korean made masks, are seriously regulated, therefore, reliable. Real KF94 masks are individually wrapped inside the package that says “Made in Korea”.

Check before making your online purchase. Best to get your high quality masks from a trusted organization like Project N95 or order directly from the manufacturers including 3M, Honeywell and Demetech. You will find lots of Made-in-America masks and respirators from members of AMMA (American Mask Manufacturer's Association).

We will continue to investigate and provide more information. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know.

Protect your heart and brain from Long Covid

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Robi Tamargo is a long hauler who had COVID 4 times. She tells everyone to mask up because she is proof that immunity is not reliable.

A resident of Florida, Dr. Tamargo first contracted COVID on May, 7, 2020 from her patient. Then she got Delta in New York during her one-year-long participation in Long Covid studies - to seek Post Covid treatment. When she returned to Florida, she was infected with Delta a second time by her mother. After having Delta twice, she was infected with Omicron on February 1, 2022.

During her relapse over Christmas, 2021, Dr. Tamargo was diagnosed with an acute neurological disorder, Guillain Barré Syndrome, and lost her mobility. Today, she still cannot lift her body up, after 40 days of hospital care, even though she is severely underweight. With over a month of testing and treatment, the team of doctors have yet to figure out how to treat her blood clots or protect her from the next episodes of attacks since her white blood cell count remains dangerously low.

In an effort to unveil the truth about COVID-19, Dr. Tamargo has been sharing her prolonged suffering. Upon returning home from Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, she was interviewed by Kate Amara from WBAL TV and Will Stone from NPR.

Aired on February 17, 2022, the WBALTV interview gave Dr. Tamargo a stage to talk about her COVID-induced sleeping disorder. With Insomnia and Malignant Wakefulness, Dr. Tamargo requires four medications, just so she can sleep with oxygen, a CPAP and a sleep apnea oral appliance for 6 hours each night. Her experience helps validate a study that shows COVID survivors 46% more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance misuse, cognitive impairment, PTSD, insomnia and suicidal thoughts. Dr. Tamargo strongly supports experts’ call to make mental health care resources accessible to Covid-19 survivors.

Aired on February 23, 2022, the NPR interview allowed Dr. Tamargo to retell her battle starting with a blood clot in her brain, which soon developed into a serious heart condition called atrial fibrillation. Whenever her heart acted up, the cardiac monitor stuck to her chest would ask her to get to the hospital.

Besides inflicting damage to her heart and brain, COVID has also ruined Dr. Tamargo’s immune system, gut, kidneys, voice and now her mobility. Once an athlete, healthy and active, she is now home-bound, relying on her caretakers and a cabinet of medicine to survive.

Dr. Tamargo’s doctors ask her to wear a surgical mask over an N95 even at home. Anyone around her is required to wear a mask. Dr. Tamargo is grateful to mask wearers because their action provides a wall of protection for people like her.

Mask Recommendations for Children

Children can get COVID-19 and infect others. They are also susceptible to long term health issues due to Long Covid.

Hospitalizations have risen sharply for children, especially newborns. It’s not just because the little ones can’t receive the vaccines. “The omicron variant attacks the airways more than the lungs, and younger children have smaller airways,” Dr. Andrew Pavia, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist with Primary Children’s Hospital explained. “Children develop a croup-like cough. Children under 2 cannot wear masks or get a COVID-19 vaccine. We need to mask up around infants and young children to protect them.”

As of Feb. 17, 2022, over 12.5 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. Reported by American Academy of Pediatrics, COVID-19 cases among children have spiked dramatically in 2022 during the Omicron variant surge; over 4.6 million child cases have been reported since the beginning of January.

In the State-Level Data Report on AAP.ORG, a message urges medical providers to collect more age-specific data to assess the severity of illness related to new variants as well as potential longer-term effects. We need to identify and address the immediate effects on children’s health and the long-lasting impacts on their physical, mental, and social well-being.

Additionally, parents should be aware of MIS-C. Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children is a COVID complication that occurs two to eight weeks after an infection or exposure to SAR-CoV-2. In addition to ongoing fever, dizziness, bloodshot eyes, stomachache, rash, diarrhea, vomiting are key symptoms. Children showing these signs should be medically evaluated. Early treatments will prevent hospitalizations and deaths

MIS-C is serious. Since mid-May, 2020, the CDC has been tracking MIS-C cases. As of January 31, 2022, the CDC reported 6,851 cases and 59 children have succumbed to this illness. 98% had tested positive for COVID-19. Over 40% of the cases were in the age group 5-11.

A CDC study found that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had a 91% effectiveness rate against MIS-C. To protect children from MIS-C, it’s critical to stop the spread. Face masks and respirators have been proven to lower the risk of infection. A CDC study shows respirators superior to cloth masks in filtering virus-sized particles. Children 2 and up are recommended to wear a mask indoors in public.

CHILDREN NEED BETTER QUALITY MASKS

To get young children respirators, your choice is between KF94s and KN95s. NIOSH-approved N95s do not have child size. KF94s are made in Korea. There are also domestic and international KN95s for kids. Surgical masks also come in child size. In the U.S., KN95s fall under FDA jurisdiction. See CDC's guidance for children. Additionally, you can also look into children masks made with Nanofibers.

Dr. Clara Lee, a pediatrician from New Jersey, recommends “Happy Mask”, a nanofiber-based mask and KF94s that are made in Korea. When buying respirators, beware of counterfeits. It’s less confusing and safer to buy your masks from a trusted source like Project N95 or directly from manufacturers in the U.S.

For elastomeric respirators, MTA’s mask expert Nicolas Smit recommends Flo Mask, which is designed to fit kids 4-12 years old, reusable, washable and offers high filtration efficiency. The soft rubber gasket provides an excellent seal. The filters have been Nelson Labs tested to block over 99.8% of viruses

Our hearts go out to parents who are stressing about protecting their children and dealing with this health crisis.

A Pandemic Story By MTA

Hosts are Dr. Robi Tamargo and Lindsay Schwarz

MaskTogetherAmerica’s first podcast episode will take you to see the world through the eyes of two Covid Warriors. Dr. Robi Tamargo from Florida has been fighting Long Covid for over 600 days. Lindsay Schwarz from Georgia, a covid survivor, lost her father Dr. Eugene Schwarz. Dr. Robi Tamargo and Lindsay Schwarz are passionate about helping people learn the truth about Covid-19 through their firsthand experience.

We are done with isolation. Let’s reconnect by listening to each other. Our truth will help us put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. Maybe putting our differences aside isn’t entirely impossible. Join us for our weekly story time. Everyone has a story to tell, especially in this COVID pandemic.

Producer/Editor: Julie Lam

Listen to the podcast on Anchor and Spotify.

MaskTogetherAmerica

MaskTogetherAmerica On How Now? Podcast with Kim Martin-Raymond

How Now? is a podcast that focuses on HOW we live in the NOW. Kim Martin-Raymond, a minister from Atlanta, Georgia, invites people from all walks of life to express how they are living in the now, despite the pandemic and its effects. Minister Kim wants her audience to learn about how people navigate through this trying time, how we can take action and find peace for ourselves and those around us. Our community is a good example of how ordinary people can come together to support public health. We are proof that we can make our voices heard by connecting with each other and sending a message together.

The first episode featuring Founder Julie Lam was aired on Jun 1, 2021. The second episode featured 9 members of our team, Julie Lam, Lindsay Schwarz, Rachel Laiserin, Mary Conde, Becky Ancira Robertson, Dr. Marjorie Roberts, Dr. Robi Tamargo, Dr. Helen Pesola, Katie Marsh and Scott Cooper, was aired on August 4, 2021.

Please click below to watch a video of our presentation.

Watch the Video

How To Light Up On Social Media

Our presentation at the World Health Network Summit

MaskTogetherAmerica initiated a joint session at the Global Summit - To End Pandemics, organized by The World Health Network and New England Complex System Institute. How to Light Up on Social Media was presented by MaskTogetherAmerica and Teens for Vaccines on November 3, 2021. Moderated by MTA Coordinator Lindsay Schwarz, the session featured MTA Founder Julie Lam, Teens for Vaccines Founder Arin Parsa, Advocates Becky Ancira Roberts and Ayaan Moledina.

This educational session examined how to spark a grassroots public health movement, run completely by volunteers, using the internet. Our presentation addressed how to leverage community support to train the general public to become powerful advocates, by identifying and tackling issues that arise. Our goal is to empower those unfamiliar with social media to get their message out and reach the maximum number of people on multiple platforms.

Please click below to watch a video of our presentation.

Watch the Video