Wellness

[CherryHugs]

Does anyone know for sure if the KN95 Masks are as good as N95?

I see them

all over the internet and on one shopping network recently.  Thank you in advance!

[patbz]

You can Google it but I believe the "95" is the percentage of particulates that that mask filters out.

[skatting44]

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@CherryHugs wrote:

Does anyone know for sure if the KN95 Masks are as good as N95?

I see them

all over the internet and on one shopping network recently.  Thank you in advance!

---

  Last yr  the Gov did approve  the construction KN95 masks  for use as a PPE  in addition to the hospital approved N95 .

" THE ANSWER Both KN95 masks and N95 masks are designed to filter 95% of particles entering the mask. The main difference is that N95s meet the standards for approval in American health care settings and KN95s do not. "

[geezerette]

This is from Oklahoma dot gov:

Due to the shortage of N95 masks for healthcare workers and first responders, the governor’s task force and OSDH have teamed up to provide accountable exceptions. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has authorized the use of KN95 masks in place of N95 masks for the response to COVID19. 

An N95 mask is a filtering facepiece respirator (FFR). The Federal Code of Regulations defines a FFR to be a negative pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering medium. An N95 means the mask has been rated to filter at least 95 percent of airborne particles it encounters. The masks have also been manufactured to form a seal on the wearers face. They can be referenced as a disposable respirator, dust mask, N95, KN95, FFR, etc.

The difference between an N95 and a KN95 mask is where the mask is certified. Much like other industries, respirators/masks have different approval sources and names.

• Australia/New Zealand- P2
• Brazil- P2
• China- KN95, KP95
• Europe-FFP2
• Japan-DS2, DL2
• India-BIS P2
• Korea- 1st class
• US- NIOSH N95, R95, P95

The world is facing a PPE shortage; Chinas’ KN95 are what is available. The CDC and NIOSH as well as the Oklahoma Commissioner of Health have authorized the substitution of KN95’s. Along with the permission, we wanted further peace of mind that what we were distributing was reliable for our health care workers and first responders. Dr. Johnson and Floyd from the OU college of Public Health have performed a filtering test on a sample of each mask we have received that is not NIOSH approved.  If they do not measure up to the minimum filtration standards, we do not distribute them.

[de1rdre]

In the mask hierarchy, N95s are the gold standard.  KN95s are good, but not as good as N95s.  Below KN95s are surgical masks and cloth masks, which can vary according to number of layers and fabric used.

[goldensrbest]

What i have thought is why isn't the usa ,manufacturing ,the n95 mask, after a year of this virus ,i have yet to hear anything about this.The N95'a are made in china,  Lutema has m95i, made in usa.

[Mindy D]

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@CherryHugs wrote:

Does anyone know for sure if the KN95 Masks are as good as N95?

I see them

all over the internet and on one shopping network recently.  Thank you in advance!

---

@CherryHugs @Yes, I know for sure. The answer depends on which KN95 mask, as effectiveness varies. This is not true for K95 masks. All K95s are made by 3M and have the same effectiveness rating with the FDA.  To check if your maks is effective you can check here. You can compare effectiveness with K95s. To get the best effectiveness masks must be put on a specific way. The CDC had a page about donning each type of mask properly.

 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi7_IuspdHuAhWjwVkKHUX7BgQQ...

"What makes N95s so highly sought after is that their quality is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to meet their standards for use in health care and even surgical settings. This is because they filter at least 95% of airborne particles, among other qualities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

KN95 masks are ultimately designed to do the same thing. The major difference is that these do not meet the NIOSH standards for approval in the same settings. They do meet China’s standards for masks in the same settings, and according to the CDC they are one of several types of respirator masks that are approved for use in health care in other countries, but not the United States.

But that doesn’t mean they don’t even have value in the health care setting. The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use for several KN95 masks (listed in Appendix A)near the beginning of the pandemic."

From WNEP ABC News online by 

VERIFY, Mauricio Chamberlin, Terry Spry Jr.

Published: 5:59 PM EST January 29, 2021

CHECK THE KN95 you want against the list of those approved by the FDA at Appendix A. 

[millieshops]

all I know for sure is that if I need a top-level medical grade mask to be safe, I sure hope I can choose not to be any where near that environment.

[CherryHugs]

Was looking at the kn95 masks on shophq, dr debrow. Will not buy these..Why wear this with what it says on down:

•  
• Outer Layer: PP Non-woven fabric
• Middle Layers: ES hot air cotton, Non-woven fabric and efficiency electrostatic melt-brown fabric. Please note that these 3 layers may appear meshed together.
• Inner Layer: PP Non-woven fabric
• Made in China

Please note: Please note the date listed on the packaging follows this format: Day/Month/Year.

This face mask may not be effective in preventing the spread, transmission, and contracting of any particular illness including COVID-19. 

IF FEEL UNWELL OR DIZZY IMMEDIATELY REMOVE MASK AND CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR.