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Andrew Jacobs, health writer for the New York Times, reminds us to shop carefully.
China already has a terrible reputation for making defective products. I don't know why we don't make more of these in America.
Counterfeit Covid Masks Are Still Sold Everywhere
The N95 mask, arguably the most essential and coveted piece of pandemic protective gear, is no longer a rare commodity, thanks to the return of Chinese imports and a resurgence in U.S. domestic production. But good luck buying them online or at big box retailers.
Consumers who try to purchase N95 masks, mainly on Amazon, are often led to vendors selling fake or poorly made KN95s, a Chinese-made mask that is often marketed as an N95 equivalent despite the lack of testing by U.S. regulators to confirm virus-filtering claims..
They include brands like Boncare, which is produced by a company that has repeatedly failed federal testing standards; Yotu, whose manufacturer has also failed European Union testing; and ChiSip, an Amazon top seller whose manufacturer, Chengde Technology, was cited by the C.D.C. for falsely claiming approval by federal regulators. https://news.yahoo.com/counterfeit-c...k=tw&tsrc=twtr
Yes, China is a third world country and is still trying to claw its way up the ladder. Rules are different to what they are in first-world countries. Dont forget that.
The fact is, China is using the very same masks as you are using so they do not just export a load of fake masks to the West and use the real ones for themselves. Unless you (or Andrew Jacobs) "know" differently?
The point being China managed to get COVID (largely) under control because the folk here do as they are told - thats the culture, so masks were worn at the start and have pretty much continued until today. OK, so now we probably have about a 70% of people wearing masks when they are walking about outside. It is mainly old people who do not bother to wear masks outside.
However, in Malls, and other public places, on buses, trains, in government buildings, offices, etc. masks have to be worn if you want to be allowed inside. People are still being pretty careful unless they are outside away from other people like in the park, etc. Most places, there is still a requirement to show the app screen which tracks where you have been and whether someone with COVID was found there too. In this way the government can track an outbreak and (hopefully) get tested the people who have also been in the same places.
However, in Malls, and other public places, on buses, trains, in government buildings, offices, etc. masks have to be worn if you want to be allowed inside. People are still being pretty careful unless they are outside away from other people like in the park, etc. Most places, there is still a requirement to show the app screen which tracks where you have been and whether someone with COVID was found there too. In this way the government can track an outbreak and (hopefully) get tested the people who have also been in the same places.
Are you talking about a specific place? This is the General forum, not a state forum. I am in a fairly strict state for Covid restrictions (Washington), but we don't have any requirements to show any kind of app.
And in my area, masks are required, but mask compliance is about 25% or less, including myself. Whether or not they are counterfeit doesn't matter. One less thing to worry about, I guess.
Very few folks are affected by this - because very few will be using N95 masks as per the instructions. They are also expensive (not free) - since you will be replacing it regularly. And so on.
Lots and lots of reasons N95s aren't as reliable as you might think - counterfeiting is just one of them.
Are you talking about a specific place? This is the General forum, not a state forum. I am in a fairly strict state for Covid restrictions (Washington), but we don't have any requirements to show any kind of app.
And in my area, masks are required, but mask compliance is about 25% or less, including myself. Whether or not they are counterfeit doesn't matter. One less thing to worry about, I guess.
If you look at my location you will see I am in PRC China, so I dont know what rules apply anywhere else. I try to be fair to everyone when I answer comments about China because I understand some of the issues going on. However, folks often dont understand that the rules are different for emerging economies and thats why the products are often so crappy. We get the very same bad products too, so they way we get over it is to read the comments on the sales platforms, and we tend to buy from online retailers who have a good reputation (hearts, stars, or whatever icons they use). However, we get conned as well occasionally. If we do, then we place a bad comment or argue with the retailer for a refund.
Masks (the blue or white covid square ones) are really not much good at stopping stuff coming in from outside but are designed to stop stuff going out as I understand it. I believe there is a layer which has some kind of coating on it which is supposed to help, catch or kill the virus, but I do not think you can rely on this type of mask much. Although, having said that, we started to use this kind of mask from the start and coupled with the back-tracing of cases, have almost got it under control.
The N95 masks, we use for the air pollution and are thicker and often have a valve in the side which allows breath to go out. As far as I can determine(?) the air seems to be breathed in around the nose where the mask joins the face and does not get filtered on the way in. Not many people use these here at all now - even though the pollution is sometimes very bad. People tend to focus on and use the COVID mask which is the square ones, whereas prior to COVID they used to use the N95 ones for days with bad pollution. I have asthma, so I use the n95 ones when the pollution is bad but I dont see anyone else doing so.
ocpaul20,
N95 masks protect you, but do nothing for anyone else if you have covid and are simultaneously wearing an N95 mask. They expel your breath out into the environment.
There is no perfect mask outside of a respirator, and maybe not even then.
But common sense dictates wearing a mask to protect not only ourselves, but others, as this is clearly a respiratory disease. Tightly fitting surgical masks, cloth masks that are not loosely draped, K95, anything is better than nothing, as masks are not perfect, but are scientically proven to make a difference in enclosed spaces.
China used common sense and the US has not, so many have politicized mask wearing, it is disheartening, downright shameful actually.
Yes, China is a third world country and is still trying to claw its way up the ladder. Rules are different to what they are in first-world countries. Dont forget that.
The fact is, China is using the very same masks as you are using so they do not just export a load of fake masks to the West and use the real ones for themselves. Unless you (or Andrew Jacobs) "know" differently?
The point being China managed to get COVID (largely) under control because the folk here do as they are told - thats the culture, so masks were worn at the start and have pretty much continued until today. OK, so now we probably have about a 70% of people wearing masks when they are walking about outside. It is mainly old people who do not bother to wear masks outside.
However, in Malls, and other public places, on buses, trains, in government buildings, offices, etc. masks have to be worn if you want to be allowed inside. People are still being pretty careful unless they are outside away from other people like in the park, etc. Most places, there is still a requirement to show the app screen which tracks where you have been and whether someone with COVID was found there too. In this way the government can track an outbreak and (hopefully) get tested the people who have also been in the same places.
Do we know for a fact that they are using the same masks? It's not unusual for a company to make things differently for export. And it's not unusual for China to have careless disregard for quality control.
Prices have come down a lot.
A box of 20 pieces KN95 was selling 60 bucks, when they first appeared on the supermarket. It is now 9.99 a box.
Now, I am paying 25 bucks for a box of 20 pieces ECAN95 respirators.
Do we know for a fact that they are using the same masks? It's not unusual for a company to make things differently for export. And it's not unusual for China to have careless disregard for quality control.
Whatever I said I am not sure that everyone would believe it. I have no way of knowing whether what you say is true or not since I am not owner/manager/working in one of the factories which make them. However, all I know is that we buy masks to wear the same as you do. There ARE fake masks which have been made but people here are angry, the same as they are there, when they realise they have paid good money for rubbish. What happens is that we put bad comments on the online sales platform and others dont buy them. Simple as that. All I can say is that as far as I know, there is no difference between masks for export and masks for domestic use.
As I said above, there are differences between first-world countries and third-world countries. There are people starving or at least really scrabbling to make a living in 3rd world countries and EVERYONE will do anything to feed their loved ones. Just like you or I will. To get economies moving corners are cut, that and other short-cuts is what makes it a 3rd world country. Expecting anything different is naieve.
If manufacturers claim they have an FDA certification, this is likely a counterfeit because the FDA will never certify a mask. They can only "approve" or "clear" a mask
If KN95 manufacturer claims they are certified in the U.S. but don't appear on the NIOSH website
If the mask loops behind your ears
The article goes on to explain more. I know that NIOSH is an important sign, having read that in several places. If you google "Niosh approved" you can probably get an idea of which ones are the real thing.
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