So, what should I wear?
If your N95 does have an exhaust valve, you have a few options. Some, like UCSF pulmonologist Dr. John Balmes, have found creative solutions.
“I put a piece of masking tape over the vent when I go to a store. So then I protect myself and others,” he said.
His wife also found a solution.
“She’s putting a surgical mask over her N95 exhalation valve,” Balmes said.
Although some public health officials have recommended wearing two masks to prevent both inhalation of smoke and the spread of coronavirus, there is still no consensus on this issue. You should check with your healthcare provider, if possible.
The next best thing? A surgical mask.
“They are actually somewhat protective with respect to fire smoke because they are standardized,” Balmes said. “It’s about a third of as good, on average, as an N95.”
Cloth masks are the least effective against smoke, Balmes said, but you still have to wear them. Because fire smokes like no, it is protecting other people from the virus still important.
What else can I do to protect myself?
While masks are a good option, public health officials say the most effective way to keep yourself safe from fire smoke is to stay indoors.
Below is an interactive, mass map of air quality from the private company PurpleAir. More information on air quality can be found here.
This advice may not feel as helpful as possible during a heatwave and with upcoming evacuation orders, but officials with the State Office of Emergency Services still advise residents to stay indoors with the doors and windows closed and if possible to air conditioning run.
