Have you checked your hardware store, that's where I'd look for what you want. Have you checked Amazon?

I bought some last year when I was removing fake plants from my house that had collected excessive amounts of dust. I think I have some in the garage here as well. I read that they were not that effective against viruses because the virus molecules can pass through the masks as easily as air can. They are helpful for keeping dust out, however.

I got mine at Harbor Freight. No idea if they've been sold out - I bought mine to clean out the chicken coop last fall, so I didn't have to inhale chicken dander and poo residues.

IF you do get them you need to know how to fit them properly to your specific face. We used face masks at work, and every year we had to get re-fitted. While getting re-fitted isn't necessary by and large, if you do NOT know how to fit them to your face, and if you don't realize not all face masks fit each face out there - you really won't get much benefit from them, when it comes to viral spread... And even so... viruses are tiny. The regular dust masks or N-95 masks out there won't prevent you from inhaling viruses.

The one thing I'll note that might help - if you wear glasses and your face mask fogs them up during use... they're not properly fitted. Pinch the upper nose region, which may help. The ones that are fabric all over simply prevent medical folk from spraying their patients with their own germs, but do nothing to keep them (the medical folk or whomever is wearing the things) from inhaling generalized aerosolized viruses. (Viri?)

Someone like share_oh's husband DOES need face masks, and for his intended purposes, this is important. (Which is why I have my chicken coop cleanout masks.)

We've been doing home improvement projects that needed masks. Every hardware, grocery/pharmacy, medical supply, Walmart etc.. within a 20 mile radius of me has been out of stock on all types of masks for a month due to Corona Virus. Five weeks ago my husband placed an order from Amazon and they cancelled it within the day. Most are manufactured in China. My dentist said his medical supplier is unable to get orders filled, thankfully he has enough to see his practice though several months.

Masks have also become exorbitantly expensive.

share....thanks for the info. I'll pick up a few extra.

I was at ReStore today and they had some

I bought 4 about a month ago... as I am about to fly with a girlfriend.. and we wanted to be sure to have one for each leg of the trip. I had to go to two home improvement places at the time. I bought the one that was recommended by some BIG time newspaper that I don't recall.

Moni

The normal mortality rate for the annual flu is 0.1%, but the current mortality rate for Coronavirus is 2.0%, which is 20 times higher than the normal flu. People in high risk groups should be more concerned than the general population.

DH has always kept the OSHA approved first aid kits, supplies, with his work - didn't toss them when he retired. ;0) After looking, I see I have a sealed box of ten N95s. Hadn't checked to see what's available in stores.

'Mr. Safety'....it always annoyed me when he'd have to update the first aid kit (they have expiration dates and are expensive). He rarely used anything out of it. There was one incident (a party) at the beach though where his was the only kit out of a half dozen with steri-strips for butterflying a cut - troubling but not critical kitchen accident. And not either one of us.

Me, look for face masks? Oh, heck no!

Good luck finding them. I work in a drugstore and we can't get them in. My dentist said they're even having a hard time getting them! Everyone is freaking out buying them and hand sanitizer (it's also nowhere to be found), yet I don't see anyone wearing those masks. I checked Amazon for sanitizer and won't pay the highway robbery prices people are asking for them knowing what a hot commodity it is now.

Only a very specific type will be able to block the virus. And some scientists have said even those may not be adequate if they are not fit properly. I scanned around a few sites. They are available but increased prices and going fast.

http://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/masks-and-n95-respirators

Moni, as raven points out, only specific masks will block the virus. And they’re only good for about 3 hours.

One thing that will help is to carry some antibacterial wipes and wipe down the tray you use to put your stuff through the security x-ray - these have been shown to harbour a lot of germs, and also the tray table on the plane, armrests, toilet door handle etc. And wash your hands frequently.

ritaweeda, I believe your comments are well intended but you're really quite misinformed. I was going to quote and comment on some of the things you said but there's no need.

Do some more background reading of information from unbiased and non-political sources. I don't doubt that more info may lead you to different conclusions.

But I'm not going to freak out about me catching a virus that isn't any worse than the flu.

If you are talking about the coronavirus, we still do not have enough information to make the conclusion you made above. There is too much information missing, some of it deliberately so because of political reasons by the Chinese government. It is good not to freak out, that doesn't help anything. But it is also good to make some preparations that might make life easier if you do end up ill with the virus, easily prepared food, water, otc meds.

There are some amusing pictures/posts going around the web of people using bra cups as face masks.

The thing about those masks, is they're designed to keep the germs in, not out.

It is my understanding that for some 80% of people, corona virus is very mild. For 20% it develops into severe viral pneumonia; these are the cases in the ICU. Everything I see says your best bet not to get it is wash your hands well and frequently and don't touch your face when you're out until you get home and can wash your hands. Beyond that, masks are pretty much ineffective.

When I saw the title of this thread I thought it was for facial masks!

I bought a box of face masks from Amazon back during the third week of January knowing that I am scheduled to fly at the end of March. Bought them because I figured they would serve as a reminder to keep my hands away from my face & eyes, to carry hand sanitizer and to wash my hands often. For that reason, I do not think they are useless as far as preventing illness.

I guess I'm not bothering because I know I won't wear it all the time. And I am really disinterested in wearing an N95 24/7. I already avoid touching any handles or pushing any buttons out in public. I don't want to get, or give germs.

ETA: I guess I wouldn't mind having a mask ready if I was worried I had the virus and wanted to be seen. I'd wear it there and keep it on until I knew.

Two years ago when our area suffered with terrible forest fire smoke in the air, I ordered a big supply of N95 masks because they were impossible to find locally. Since it was only a fairly localized need, there were plenty available elsewhere in the country. I bought enough to share with my friends and family if needed and a small size for my grandson and other kids. We didn't use many of them, so I feel well prepared should the need arise and will certainly share them with others in my life.

Fantastic, Lucille.