Mask failure is always a nonzero risk, and this is one of the challenges of one-way masking, but there is an overlooked risk factor that many folks may not know about: alcohol vapor from hand sanitizer.
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Mask failure is always a nonzero risk, and this is one of the challenges of one-way masking, but there is an overlooked risk factor that many folks may not know about: alcohol vapor from hand sanitizer.
The electret material in N95s is highly durable and long-lasting, but vulnerable to degradation from the vapor of volatile solvents like alcohol. The overlap between folks who wear respirators and folks who use a lot of hand sanitizer is pretty large, and the degradation of an N95's filtration efficiency from alcohol vapor is measurable¹. If you can smell the vapor, then you are pulling it through the mask and exposing the fibers.
Though fomites are a remote risk with SARSCoV2, they are a concern with other pathogens, and there are alcohol-free wipes for disinfecting hands when washing isn't an option:
* Clorox Pro Hand Wipes with BZK
* SONO Medical-Grade, Alcohol-Free, No Bleach Disinfecting Wipes1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/gch2.202100015