Previously assumed fit-for-use face masks fail to meet US safety guidelines.
The utility of masks from 15 different manufacturers based out of China were recently inspected and judged by experts at a healthcare research firm called ECRI. The conclusion was drawn from results suggesting that a large amount of K-95 masks offer limited protection for vulnerable populations who are frequently exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These masks appear to have been falsely advertised as safe and legitimately approved by public heath congregations, according to authors.
Dr. Marcus Schabacker, president, and CEO of ECRI revealed this worry discovery, explaining in a press release, “We’re finding that many aren’t safe and effective against the spread of COVID-19; using masks that don’t meet U.S. standards puts patients and frontline healthcare workers at risk of infection.”
U.S. hospitals bought hundreds of thousands of masks produced in China over the past six months in a rushed effort to get equipment to the frontline workers and the general public as quick as possible.
Dr. Schabacker continued, saying, “As ECRI research shows, we strongly recommend that healthcare providers going forward do more due diligence before purchasing masks that aren’t made or certified in America, and we’re here to help them.”
All of the participating parties are positive that wearing counterfeit masks is still beneficial in the prevention of transmission of coronavirus, as opposed to traveling with no mask at all. This is in despite a recent risk analysis published by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that arrived at similar conclusions to all the other research results.
It’s of the utmost importance that your mask covers your mouth along with the bridge of your nose, irrespective of the mask quality. Establishing and maintaining security as well as comfort is a good way to make sure you don’t fidget and get distracted with it throughout the day. This is especially true for those occupying health care industries.