How different masks protect against Covid-19, and its delta and lambda variants

[LuckyCharms]

7. I wear NIOSH approved N95 masks (however, they are not FDA approved for medical use).

You will be able to find N95's approved for medical use if you look hard enough, but I do not buy them since those are needed by medical workers.

NIOSH approved N95's are abundant, and you can find them with the head straps instead of the ear loops.

I like these types of masks because you can get an incredible seal around your face.

It is sometimes difficult to get a complete seal around the upper part of the mask, but usually I can get it almost completely sealed all the way around.

I remove my glasses when wearing one, because I can still see fairly well without them, and that is one less thing I have to wear on my head. Also, in case there is a small leak at the top of the nose, there are no glasses to fog up. Depending on the situation, I may put a surgical mask over the N95. If I REALLY feel at risk, I'll also either wear wrap around sunglasses (which don't seem to fog as much as my regular specs), and/or a plastic face shield.

I also wear gloves, and a lanyard around my neck which holds a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

I hardly go anywhere, but when I do go out, it is usually to a fairly risky place such as a semi-crowded waiting room, or a more heavily crowded hospital lab.

When I exit the risky environment, I sanitize my gloves and forearms. Then, I remove all of the gear. Then I remove the gloves and sanitize my hands, wrists, and forearms again.

EDIT: If you are having trouble getting a good seal around your nose, put some surgical tape on your mask and skin in the leaky areas. A doctor taught me this.