Here’s what you need to know about the N95 and KN95 face coverings, as well as where to buy them online. Finding and buying non-fake N95 masks is not as simple as purchasing fabric or surgical masks. Unfortunately, however, the now-ubiquitous availability of these disposable masks does not make finding a suitable one easier, especially when dealing with KN95 (the Chinese equivalent to N95 masks). If you are wondering where to find reputable sellers for wholesale N95 masks, the best option is the N95 Filter.
When shopping for an N95 mask, you may want to look up the NIOSH-approved N95 respirator listing from the CDC, which will verify the mask you are looking at has been tested and meets the NIOSH regulations. Since we do not actually test masks ourselves, we consulted with health experts on who should wear N95 respirators, when they should be worn, and how to source and purchase them. While N95 respirators are best-in-class, you can still get levels of protection and fit with other mask methods. According to the CDC’s own study, wearing respirators at home provides better protection from COVID than surgical masks and cloth face coverings.
A study on the fit of surgical masks described above suggests that the poor fit may be partially compensated for by a good collection of filters, but it does not approach the level of protection offered by respirators. The CDC’s research builds upon the guidance for face masks issued earlier this year by the CDC, detailing different levels of protection offered by the various types of masks – with N95 respirators topping the list. While CDC does not explicitly recommend N95s, the CDC says they provide a high level of protection, followed by similarly styled respirator masks such as KN95s and KF94s, or a well-fitting, single-use surgical mask. Counterfeit respirator masks can look, and even feel, similar to N95 masks, but they may not have passed the required tests and criteria for a true N95.
Free N95 masks are available in pharmacies, supermarket drugstore chains, and community health centers across the country. For readers disappointed by our suggestion that you should not bother making cloth masks for yourself or your healthcare workers, this writer suggests that you should instead contribute toward finding N95 FFRs and other types of respirators for healthcare organizations. N95 masks are important for protecting families and employees from influenza and respiratory infections. However, more than 400 million N95 masks have been distributed in pharmacies and retail stores since that time, and are now being made available to consumers.
Because Benehal N95 Packed Respirator was designed to be a non-medical mask, it is eligible for purchase by anyone. Its flexible materials and padded headband create a good seal on most faces, and this masks generous cut allows for greater airfiltration to facilitate easy breathing. Because it has difficult-to-fold borders, it is best used under a properly fitted cloth mask for leak-free wear. Another study evaluated 44 masks, respirators, and other materials using similar methods, with smaller aerosols (0.08 and 0.22 um).5 The effectiveness of the N95 FFR filters was greater than 95%.
