Community Network for Epidemic Preparedness and Support (CNEPS)
COVID Check 2022
As we find ourselves in the midst of another COVID surge, and especially as kids are scheduled to go back to school this week, this is a good time for a Mask Check.
Mechanical engineer Aaron Collins (aka the mask nerd) has been a great resource on this. Here is a recent op-ed he did in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/27/best-masks-covid-tests-cloth-surgical-respirators HisYouTube video talks about best masks for kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88AGnN-nwI
Nose bridge wire and adjustable ear loops are important features for kids’ faces. Ear savers can also help a lot with fit.
Joseph Allen at Harvard wrote a thread on Twitter this week, making the point that N95 (not for kids)/ KF94/KN95 > surgical > cloth. https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1476176934568611843?s=20
Sew Face Masks Philadelphia have noted that KF94’s continue to be the most reliable standard for children and cautioned that there are many counterfeit KN95s. NIOSH does not currently regulate N95’s for children. Per CDC, those that claim to manufacture N95s approved for children, are counterfeit.
If choosing an N95 for adults, attention should be paid to selecting the correct size. KF94s are also a great option for adults, especially with adjustable ear straps. Facial hair interferes with fit.
Air quality is also important. Where HEPA is too costly, some school communities have organized around making Corsi-Rosenthal boxes, as a lower-cost alternative. The Corsi/Rosenthal Box air cleaner received the “Idea of the Year Award” from the Waterloo Filtration Institute.
“Dr. Corsi and I are honored to receive this award. It has been a pleasure for us to see how the simple idea of the Corsi/Rosenthal box has expanded and grown over the past year. Many, many people have contributed to the success of this idea. This award is for them as much as it is for us. As I have been saying for the past 18 months – ‘We are not helpless!’”
– Jim Rosenthal
Community Partners
Teach Your Children Well
The 2020-2021 school year has officially ended at schools across the country, and we are heading into another season of mixed thoughts and emotions. Just as has been the case in the past year of the COVID pandemic, that will mean different things to different people and families. While we are eager to put the…
We are proud of the network we’ve established starting in March 2020. Our current Community partners include PPE2PHL, the United Safety and Survivability Corporation (in Exton PA), the Philadelphia Organization of Health Professions Students (POHPS), Sew Face Masks Philadelphia, Matterhackers, TDI Technologies and Drexel Engineering.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
CNEPS 