As part of the COVID-19 Monitor Australia, conducted by Vox Pop Labs in partnership with the ABC, Australians have been asked every week for more than three months whether they support mandatory mask rules.
Two-thirds of Australians think mask use should be mandatory in all public places, even though far fewer people outside hotspot states are themselves wearing face coverings.
Victoria is the only state that has implemented compulsory mask rules, but authorities are recommending they be worn in hotspot areas in Sydney and Brisbane too.
Face Masks has been hailed as a key tool in the fight against coronavirus but despite evidence that masks both protect and prevent the virus’ spread not everyone is convinced.
Many anti-maskers aren’t convinced the face coverings actually work in stopping COVID-19. Isentia’s Australia and New Zealand insights specialist Andrew Ledovskikh said that more than a third of social media posts they analysed contained “highly emotional and abusive language”.
The secretary for Health in the UK, Matt Hancock, has indicated the law, making face masks mandatory in UK stores may stay in force until a vaccine is found for novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
“I expect that this law will be in place for the foreseeable future,” the health secretary said on Wednesday morning.
Asked by BBC Radio 4′s Today programme if that meant it could remain until next summer, Hancock said: “Well let’s see how well we do on getting a vaccine.”
Note, just looking at it, checking the packaging, etc, even checking FDA listing, may seem like a good start. In reality, will not guarantee anything for you.
There is flood of counterfeit product on the market and even the regulatory authorities find it hard to distinguish the real from the fake, just by looking at it.
There are unscrupulous factories churning out counterfeit N95 masks, NIOSH N95 masks and other masks, often at higher prices than the genuine articles!
…typically they first buy batches of legitimate product from a certified factory, then copy everything they need…however typically cut a few corners, especially on some of the internal materials, essential to a safe mask, but unseen unless you destroy the mask & / or test it.
To be fair, many government authorities are on the lookout for counterfeits, both in country of origin, and import customs.
Also, many local authorities are conducting random testing of products in their local markets, which is also good.
Here is the scary thing.
Even the experts, at places such as CDC, NIOSH and test labs, cannot tell a real NIOSH N95 mask from a fake NIOSH N95 mask, let alone the other masks, such as a regular N95 mask, CE certified FFP2 NR Mask or KN95 Mask…
…just by looking at them!
The only way to be sure, is to test a NIOSH N95, N95 mask, FFP2 NR Mask, or KN95 Mask in a lab, which is what authorities do.
To achieve and certification, factories need to make a compliant products, then prove it in a test lab.
There is follow-up to ensure ongoing compliance.
…so how can it be that there is the product in the market that is not compliant?
In most cases, it is a counterfeit or fake product.
….and obviously anyone going to the trouble to make counterfeit masks, can copy the packaging documents etc and a significant amount will “get through”.
The key is that your retailer or wholesaler, is buying from reputable partners, and they are buying “factory direct”.
For large retailers and wholesalers looking for products, First-res, ships bulk quantities factory direct.
All of our factories have been making COVID PPE, since before COVID!
Some have been NIOSH certified for more than six years.
If you are buying from a reputable reseller that you know, check they (or their importer) are shipping NIOSH N95 masks, N95 masks, CE certified FFP2 NR Masks, KN95 Masks factory direct.
The N95 respirator is the most common of the seven types of particulate filtering facepiece respirators. This product filters at least 95% of airborne particles but is not resistant to oil.
Here is the list of products and suppliers that are approved by NIOSH as an N95 respirator and also cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a surgical mask.
