[decebalus1]

> I'm not sure I would call them impractical for everyday wear. I wear N95 masks when commuting during active wildfires.

Right on. For the past couple of years, because the Seattle summers have been hazy due to the wildfire smoke, I still have quite a large batch of N95 masks. I too used to wear them during my commute and the only problem I see is that if you're at risk (underlying respiratory/heart problems) you'll not be able to tolerate the mask... With a good fitment, it makes it harder to breathe.

I think it's unfair to label people hoarders for having these masks... After a couple of consecutive years of wildfire smoke, I think this is the new normal and everyone should have them. It's not my problem that the healthcare industry has a supply issue with these masks, they should have a different, hopefully more efficient and preferential supply chain. I hope they don't buy them from Home Depot (where I got them from).

[OJFord]

I was under the impression that there isn't (yet? But not even close to) a supply issue for the healthcare sector, but rather only at retail, due to a combination of increased demand and supply switching over to for-healthcare-only mode.

This will be something that's routine, just following the plan, that exists to serve some combination of regulation, duty, and risk (burning important healthcare customer or government relationship) mitigation.

[usrusr]

Not yet, because outside of active infection hotspots healthcare workers don't yet use significantly more masks than usual.

[OJFord]

use of course, but they're still stocking up. Despite that I don't believe it's an issue. It's just prioritising supply.