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For regular usage you CAN reuse KN95 masks, for at least 40 hours. For high risk environments (hospitals, bars) you dispose of it after a 8hr shift. This scientist explains why 40hrs usage is reasonable.
https://twitter.com/claire_horwell/status/1466400270137630727?s=20
The Australian ABC in this good article on what are the best face masks says that N95 masks can be worn until the straps wear out, since the filter material remains effective after 200 days. Personally, I am wearing them for a few weeks or until worn out. Ideally you have a few masks and rotate them.
A good video explainer which says 30-40hrs in a clear office type environment, less in a dusty, construction type environment and a single shift in a hospital setting:
The Wirecutter on reusing masks outside a healthcare situation:
The CDC guidance, intended for health-care personnel in situations much riskier than what I experience in my day-to-day routine, notes that masks shouldnāt be used more than five times. But masks worn by most people in relatively low-risk situations could probably be worn for considerably longer. āThereās no time limit for how long a filter will work,ā explained Ron Shaffer, former research chief at the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory at NIOSH. He advises throwing away a mask when itās soiled or worn out, when it no longer fits well, or when itās difficult to breathe through. When in doubt, throw it out.
Sadly, they don't cut the mustard in the age of omicron.
<aside> š· "Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations. There's no place for them in light of omicron," said Dr. Leana Wen
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This is aĀ great graphic from the Wall Street Journal:
Cloth and surgical masks do provide some level of protection, but they only help prevent the spread of coronavirus if everyone is wearing them. To protect yourself, wear a KN95 mask indoors and in crowded outdoor settings.
The CDC says that surgical masks āDoes NOT provide the wearer with a reliable level of protection from inhaling smaller airborne particles and is not considered respiratory protectionā.
These standards can essentially considered to be the same for practical purposes.Ā 3M has a straightforward summary table in this pdfĀ comparing the different standards, and concludes that Australia's P2, China's KN95 and EU's FFP2 is essentially equivalent to N95.