When I wrote the last blog post about masks, I really thought it was going to be my last. Now with schools starting in Florida, parents are fighting for and against masks in school. The school board in Broward County, where Fort Lauderdale is located, has determined that the only safe way to open schools is with a mask mandate.
At least with school age children there is a chance they will wear the mask correctly. I remember being with our youngest grandchild, age three, and all of us fixing the mask on his face repeatedly. It is a challenge to get children to wear a mask, and now, the recommendation is a KN95 mask for children in school, if possible, because of the contagious Delta variant.
Learning about different kinds of masks is not what I wanted to do, or continue to want to do, but the N95 masks, the most protection I learned, go around the head and really mess up hair. When they are on they are comfortable and I want the best protection when I travel or need to be extra careful. I recently bought recommended KN95 masks. These are made in China, why the K in front, not approved U.S. made masks. The biggest difference for me is that they have ear loops which does not mess my hair and is easier to quickly put on. With the Delta variant, I do not enter a supermarket or store where there are people I do not know and cannot be sure they are vaccinated or I am safe.
NPR has on its website:
“Yep, it’s time to mask up again (sigh). We knew this might happen, and here it is. But before you dig out and dust off all your old cloth masks, it may be time for an upgrade. “Masks still work, but with delta, we need better-performing masks,” says Linsey Marr, a researcher at Virginia Tech who studies airborne virus transmission. So what makes a good, delta-prevention mask? We have the rundown.”
Read the article, “It’s Time To Up Your Mask Game,” by Maria Godoy, NPR, August 12, 2021, recommending that we wear N95 and KN95 masks, two masks, or make our masks tighter. Yes, it includes how to identify a fake.
Now, I read that there are KN95 masks especially made for kids, up to high school age.
One of the companies is the one recommended from which I bought adult KN95 masks. It caught my eye immediately because it was colorfully tie dyed. Of course, it is sold out already on Amazon. Check out their website:
There were recent articles about KN95 masks for kids worth checking out for your grandchildren, and passing along to the parents of our grandchildren. The first one listed includes choices and links.
“How to choose the best kids KN95 mask, according to experts: Medical experts explain what to consider when shopping for kids KN95 masks, and whether kids should wear them in the first place,” by By Zoe Malin, July 29, 2021, NBC News on line.
by Korin Miller, July 24, 2021, Yahoo News on line.
“The Best Cloth and Disposable Masks for Kids and Toddlers,” Christina Szalinski, August 3, 2021, Wirecutter (associated with the New York Times).
Who would think that grandparent visit presents would still be masks! This new, but getting old really fast, world is not one I am enjoying. I cannot wait until we can all get back to living, however, now life is all about everyone, especially our precious grandchildren, being safe in the era of the Delta variant.
Good luck!
Joy,
Mema
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