Covid-19 mask and umpire face mask removal

[Recontra]

Worked a pre-preseason h.s. varsity level double on Monday. Our State h.s. association is mandating Covid-19 masks for all players, coaches, and umpires at all times (also Defensive team handles all baseballs--umpires never handle any baseballs--so no need for ball bags!). In any case, I learned a few things when I was on the plate about Covid-19 masks under my F3 mask.

(1) You've got to have a good Covid-19 mask. Don't (DON'T) try to use a disposable black Covid mask. The straps will rip in the 3rd inning, and if you don't have several back-ups in your pocket, you'll need to delay the game to go get another one and hopefully you've got one in your car--our state has mandated black masks, and the only black one I had at the start of my plate game was a disposable one. One strap ripped in the middle of the game from being stressed every time I removed my mask;

(2) I purchased a couple 3n2 black Covid masks from ump-attire which are being shipped. I'm thinking that mask will be ideal, because it has what appear to be sturdy ear straps which are adjustable--meaning you can tighten them down;

(3) Several (several times) when I removed my umpire mask, my Covid mask moved with the pads, and when I lifted up the umpire mask, my Covid mask was literally over my eyes (blind ump on the plate:-). So, if you're seasoned and have done the "mask on/mask off" drill thousands of times, you might still want to practice your mask removal skills with you Covid mask on several times to get a feel for it. I assume each Covid mask is going to behave a little differently, but it was annoying to be temporarily blinded by my Covid mask;

(4) Always have a spare Covid mask in your pocket in case your other one breaks beyond repair; and

(5) It was really good to be working winter pre-season baseball!

[catsbackr]

Neck gaitor?

 

[Gfoley4]

Related to this, has anyone had success with a particular brand or style of mask that reduces the amount of fogging in glasses? I understand you can pinch the nose, but the masks I've used have still become loose and fogging keeps happening. 

[Stk004]

1 hour ago, catsbackr said:

Neck gaitor?

 

with ear holes 

[BT_Blue]

7 hours ago, Gfoley4 said:

Related to this, has anyone had success with a particular brand or style of mask that reduces the amount of fogging in glasses? I understand you can pinch the nose, but the masks I've used have still become loose and fogging keeps happening. 

There are some out there. The Under Armour mask sold by Ump-Attire seems to imply an extention for the nose that will help with fogging. But I don't know if that is true.

A local (international) company near me, Stark Vacuums (yes... THAT Stark Vacuums) has a mask that touts a cloth extention for anti fogging. I plan to stop into their local retail store this weekend to check them out. If they work as good as everyone says the UA one does, and at around 60% the price, it would be worth picking up a bunch. Even for work.

[conbo61]

https://store.helmetfitting.com/product/active-mask/

These are the masks that you may have seen a lot of NCAA football coaches wearing this fall.  I am going to give these a try.

I used a mask from Target for a HS tournament last summer that was pretty comfortable but it did not clasp around the nose.

[Thunderheads]

11 hours ago, Stk004 said:

with ear holes 

linky linky?!  

[Umpire in Chief]

I'm curious if how people are doing with the NCAA requirement of wearing 2 masks. 

I also saw something on FB abut not wearing a gaitor. I was wondering why people would say that. On TV I'm seeing a lot of umpires wearing gaitors.

But in the industry I work in our #1 client has said gaitors are not allowed on their worksites, as they feel it does not allow adequate protection.

[kylehutson]

For NCAA, you don't need 2 masks, you need 2 layers. So a conventional 2-layer cloth mask will work. Or you can wear 2 gaiters. Or you can fold your gaiter.

The last one is what I've been doing, and it seems to work pretty well. Advice on that: fold it so that the fold is at the top (near your nose), rather than down to your chin. That way when it inevitably starts to slip, you're just pulling up in one spot, instead of dealing with two loose ends.

[Thunderheads]

8 minutes ago, kylehutson said:

For NCAA, you don't need 2 masks, you need 2 layers. So a conventional 2-layer cloth mask will work. Or you can wear 2 gaiters. Or you can fold your gaiter.

 

 Sorry, that's just stupid   (NOT directed at @kylehutson)

[wolfe_man]

On 2/26/2021 at 9:29 AM, Umpire in Chief said:

I'm curious if how people are doing with the NCAA requirement of wearing 2 masks. 

I also saw something on FB abut not wearing a gaitor. I was wondering why people would say that. On TV I'm seeing a lot of umpires wearing gaitors.

But in the industry I work in our #1 client has said gaitors are not allowed on their worksites, as they feel it does not allow adequate protection.

Neck gaiters are not medical masks.  They are designed to be used as sunblock while deep-sea fishing, a filter so you don’t inhale sand in the desert and/or to keep you from eating bugs while 4-wheeling or bike-riding. 

To be effective, a medical mask requires three layers.  I am glad they're allowing an umpire to only wear two instead of a full mask.

[Thunderheads]

1 minute ago, wolfe_man said:

Neck gaiters are not medical masks.  They are designed to be as sunblock while deep-sea fishing, a block from sand in the desert and/or to keep you from eating bugs while 4-wheeling or bike-riding. 

To be effective, a medical mask requires three layers.  I am glad they're allowing an umpire to only wear two instead of a full mask.

most masks aren't "medical" masks ..........

[wolfe_man]

Just now, Thunderheads said:

most masks aren't "medical" masks ..........

Oh, I totally agree.

And I'm not even debating IF any mask is actually effective or not, but I know what the medical requirements are from having spent time working at the local hospital. 

I just know I see a lot of people thinking/hoping (or maybe just making an effort to comply with a mask mandate) by wearing a neck gaiter, handkercheif, etc. but I do hope they know that it will not stop the virus from being breathed in or sneezed out if the mask does not contain three layers.

[kylehutson]

I'm doing it because they're telling me to. I call it "checkbox compliance".

Outdoor activities are very rare for spreading COVID (see https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/223/4/550/6009483). I will happily wear my mask when going into stores, etc., and insist that others do, too. But for outdoors, the risk appears to be very low. So I comply with their rules because they write the rules, and not because I think they're doing anything useful.

[LMSANS]

7 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

linky linky?!  

I found them on Ebay. There was a link supplied a couple of weeks ago. you'll find it before I could.

[BT_Blue]

On 2/26/2021 at 7:36 AM, wolfe_man said:

Neck gaiters are not medical masks.  They are designed to be as sunblock while deep-sea fishing, a block from sand in the desert and/or to keep you from eating bugs while 4-wheeling or bike-riding. 

A lot of people also seem to like the gaiter because they can breath easier though them. That is because the material is usually super thin. They gave us gaiters at work. And those things are so sheer, I can see my skin color though them!

Hopefully the Umplife gaiter is a thicker material. I will either order that, or the Under Armour mask, if today's search at a local internationally known company turns out to be fruitless. Im hoping it won't because they claim to also prevent fogging of glasses with their mask.

[SeeingEyeDog]

https://www.tommiecopper.com/2-pack-community-wear-face-masks/

I will leave a full review on this mask on another thread but...these are very comfortable masks.

@Gfoley4, I wear glasses, too. Make sure you get a mask with wire sewn into the nose area so, it can be shaped around your nose to seal your warmed exhalations from leaking out the top of the mask and condensing onto your glasses. Be sure to clean your glasses (with an alcohol based cleaner...) before you have to wear your mask. There are no fog proof chemicals or techniques but, cleaning with an alcohol cleaner helps minimize the fog.

~Dawg