Covid-19 weekly cases top 56,000

Yes. Covid-19 has struck again, with weekly cases this month hitting 56,000. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is strongly encouraging the public to wear a mask in crowded places even if they are not sick. I have been wearing a mask daily, even after the MOH stated that it was not compulsory anymore. I just cannot risk getting Covid-19 and it interfering with my work. So this is a reminder…mask on always and always take precautions like avoiding crowded places if possible.

We Care Singapore-made face masks

Just the other day, I asked my wife to buy some face masks for me as I was running out. She goes to the local Guardian pharmacy and bought these masks named We Care by WES Medical. At first, I was not too convinced but once I used them, I swore that I would not use anything else. The elastic band that wraps around your ears is very comfortable because it is much, much wider than the standard elastic band that comes with other masks. My wife and I liked it so much that from now on, this is the brand that we will use.  You can find more information on their website. Oh, and did I mention that it is much cheaper?

Facemasks from Temasek

I got my Temasek Foundation N95-Grade facemasks a couple of days back. It was very simple. All I had to do was to scan my NRIC at the vending machine and I got my mask. Speaking of vending machines, there are almost 1,000 of them that distribute these masks. They can be found in community centres, residents’ committee centres, selected bus interchanges, recreation centres, Plaza Singapura mall and the Temasek Shophouse located near Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

In any case, the masks provide N95-grade filtration against harmful particles and protect against 99.9 per cent of viruses and bacteria. Besides that, they are also water-repellent and will retain their protective features for up to 30 rinses or more than seven months if worn daily and rinsed weekly.

So do not delay…get your masks now!

BYD Care facemasks

As you know, the whole world is still facing the threat of Covid-19. here in Singapore, it is compulsory to wear a facemask. There are many brands of facemasks out there in the market, including some that are not made properly. Just the other day, my mother gave me a box of facemasks to use. I found those masks to be very good but it was very tight and uncomfortable. Imagine my embarrassment when I was talking with someone and all of a sudden, the damn mask elastic bad gave way! I had to delve into my stash of spare masks that I had on-hand and all was fine. I surmised that the facemasks given to me by my mother were small ones. So what I did was to go to the closes Guardian pharmacy and purchased this box of BYD Care facemasks. They only cost about $10 for this box of 50 3-layer masks. I think that is what I am going to get from now on. Strongly recommended

Free face masks from the Government

The Singapore Government has given out free N95 and surgical masks to the people to help keep us safe from the Covid-19 pandemic. I collected mine from NTUC FairPrice Xtra. You have until the 26th of September to collect your free masks. All you have to do is to bring your SP Power bill and they will scan it for proof of collection. I am grateful to the Government for this. Every little bit helps to aid this fight against Covid-19

Don’t ever buy Vanch surgical facemasks

As many know, we are going through a very serious Covid-19 epidemic. In Singapore, it is compulsory to wear a facemask in public. Many people have their houses stocked with facemasks, wearing a new one every day. We spend the whole day wearing these facemasks till we get back. I must admit that wearing a facemask is very beneficial. I catch the the flu less often and it does help to keep the nasties away.

I need to stress that not all facemasks are made equal. There is this brand above named Vanch. This facemask has the tendency for the elastic bands (the ones that goes over your ears) to detach from the facemask. I had this happen to me three times with these masks. When that happens, I am left hanging…trying to find an area where I can remove the deflective facemask and get a spare one from my bag. More often than not, if I am alone, it is very difficult to fish for the spare one with one hand while the other is holding up one end of the facemask with the detached elastic band.

So look out for this brand Vanch. Get other brands. They work better and I have not had this issue with other brands

PM 2.5 face mask filters

I bought these PM 2.5 mask filters about a week back and they only arrived yesterday by post. I have a few reusable face-masks that require filters to be inserted. These were not too expensive and they look pretty well-made. But there will be some that will ask what use they are. After all, there are some reusable face-masks that do not come with filters. To answer these questions, this is what they are. A certified pm 2.5 filter  used with a fitted cloth mask can block the vast majority of airborne particulates, including up to 90% of fine aerosols. Thus, a pm 2.5 filter + mask is one of the most protective systems available. So go get some filters for your masks.

New face masks from the Singapore Government

A couple of weeks back, I got my second gift of face-masks from the Singapore Government. I am grateful to them for making these masks available for us. All I had to do was to key in my NRIC number at the dispenser machines at the bus interchange near my home and this packet of face-masks were dispensed. I am glad that Singapore is doing all that they can to try to see its citizens through this Covid-19 pandemic and I for one am grateful for that. Remember all…stay safe during this pandemic.

Review of anti bacterial face masks given by the Government

I used this mask the other day and I must admit that it is very hard to breath from. But maybe that is just me. It does the job and is a comfortable fit. Not only that, it is easy to wash. Please remember to only subject these masks to hand-washing. I must thank the Government of Singapore once again for giving us these masks. If you all have not got your masks now, now is the time to get them while there is still stock.

Use Vapex on your reusable face masks

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us have to use face masks. It is compulsory. But after a while, wearing the face mask can seem a tad uncomfortable. There is a lingering stench of stale air behind the mask, especially when we use these reusable face masks. There is a perfect solution to this. Use Vapex. I have mentioned about Vapex before in an earlier thread. A bottle of Vapex can be bought for as little as $4 from your neighbourhood Chines medical hall. So after a while, especially at 12pm or after 12pm when you have had your lunch, put some Vapex on the internal part of your mask that the closest to your nose. The scent is very pleasant and you will have your nose cleared in the process as well!