by Daisy Luther
(Feb. 3, 2020) At the time of publication, the masks and Personal Protection Equipment I’m recommending are not sold out and should arrive in about a week.
However, I expect these too will be sold out soon as the coronavirus spreads across the globe. So if you’re going to buy, do it now.
(Here’s an article about Personal Protection Equipment for more information.)
Online purchases
If you’re looking for masks, etc. online, you’ve probably found that nearly everything is sold out. I’m listing here multiple options, everything from full-on gas masks and Hazmat suits down to surgical masks.
But please note that your best options are disposable N95 and N100 masks.
While a gas mask and Hazmat suit may seem like it’s offering more protection, you have to take it off and put in on correctly, decontaminate it, and store it outside your home. This is all about options. If you are unable to locate the preferred option, you may be forced to move on to a different option.
- N-95 Masks
- Coolflow N-95 Masks
- N-95 Non-Valve Respirator Masks
- N-95 Mask for Children
- N-95 Mask for Children
- Pandemic Flu Kit
- N-100 Masks
Surgical Masks- Surgical Masks (you’ll need to pay for rush delivery to get this next week)
- Surgical Masks
- Surgical Masks
- Disposable coveralls (not as much protection as an encapsulated suit)
- Military CM-7M Gas Mask
- Tactical CM-6M Gas Mask
- Gas Mask Filters
- Children’s Gas Mask
- Gas Mask for Infants and Pets
- Hazmat Suit
One reader suggested the FarmTex website for masks.
Local Finds
I went to a nearby city to see what supplies I could find. It seems that coronavirus isn’t yet on everyone’s radar.
In southern Virginia, I discovered that surgical masks were readily available at pharmacies. (In fact, at Walgreens, they were “buy one, get one for half price.”) Nitrile gloves were available at all the pharmacies I visited.
At both Lowe’s and Home Depot, N-95 masks were available in the paint department.
If you have a TSC or other farm supply store, you may also be able to find masks there.
So while you may still want to order some supplies, check your local pharmacies and home improvement stores, too.
Readers have also reported finding masks at Ace Hardware, Harbor Freight, auto parts stores, and lumberyards.
Any suggestions?
If you have found these supplies, please let us know where so I can add the sources to this list. If you find that any of the above links are sold out, let us know so we can remove them.