Ohhhh baby hay-sus!
It turns out 60 percent of the N95 and KN95 masks available today... ARE FAKE... and they're not protecting you or anyone else, as they don't meet OSHA standards!
SO... how do you know if the mask is real?
From the CDC:
- NIOSH-approved respirators have an approval label on or within the packaging of the respirator (i.e. on the box itself and/or within the users’ instructions). Additionally, an abbreviated approval is on the FFR itself.
- You can verify the approval number on the NIOSH Certified Equipment List (CEL) or the NIOSH Trusted-Source page to determine if the respirator has been approved by NIOSH.
- NIOSH-approved FFRs will always have one of the following designations: N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99, P100.
Now, how do you know if it's FAKE?!
- No markings at all on the filtering facepiece respirator
- No approval (TC) number on filtering facepiece respirator or headband
- No NIOSH markings
- NIOSH spelled incorrectly
- Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g., sequins)
- Claims of approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)
- Filtering facepiece respirator has ear loops instead of headbands
It's a shame people are faking masks just for some sort of profit... but these are the times we live in, I guess...