Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, P2 or N95 masks have been held up as the best protection against contaminants in the air, but their effectiveness can be severely reduced because one size does not fit all.
A national survey of doctors has revealed fit testing of masks is not happening across many Australian health workplaces.
Emergency department locum Dr Mian Bi surveyed more than 1,000 doctors working across Australia and New Zealand in hospitals, GP clinics and aged care and found only one in five were getting their masks properly fit-tested before they used it.
“When you are at the coalface, you want the best protection and know that you are safe,” he said.
Face masks are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from travelling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control.
So, which mask will best protect you and which will protect the community from unknowing carriers of COVID-19?
Face masks are no replacement for physical distancing and good hand hygiene. You should limit your travel and, where possible, avoid any large gatherings.
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.
Wearing masks in public is obligatory in many parts of the world during any health crisis, let alone a pandemic, however, is resistance around in other places.
Despite the clear scientific and medical evidence around the benefits, some political leaders insist it should be a personal choice.
President Trump on Saturday wore a dark mask affixed with the presidential seal in public for the first time, after repeated urging from aides that it was a necessary message to send to Americans resistant to covering their faces.
With the recent spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, people are looking to face masks as a way of protecting themselves and others from the virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.
But does wearing a face mask prevents the spread of coronaviruses?
Yes, wearing a face mask can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus by people who have COVID-19 but don’t realize it.
First-Res NIOSH & FDA Certified N95 Mask – 2 week lead time
To get the highly sought after NIOSH N95 masks you generally have to choose between
– factory direct on a long lead time of several months, or
– through a reseller, with high price and a higher risk that counterfeit products may penetrate the supply chain.
First-Res Medical PPE has proven ourselves as being valuable partners to a number of COVID-related PPE factories, which provides a great opportunity to our clients.
Folding Style NIOSH N95 Face Masks and Cup Style N95 Face masks are available from First-Res on a two week lead time. Bulk orders only, shipped factory direct, to your warehouse.
