What's The Difference Between N95 Masks & KN95 Masks?

[appalachiablue]

- 'What’s the Difference Between N95 Masks and KN95 Masks?' (Aug. 26, 2020). *They have similar-looking names but are held to entirely different standards. Here’s what to know before purchasing a mask online. RollingStone Magazine.

Products featured are independently selected by our editorial team and we may earn a commission from purchases made from our links; the retailer may also receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. The rise in coronavirus cases across the country has led to a rise in companies making face masks, as government officials continue to promote the wearing of face coverings as an effective way to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

While there are a number of different options available, from lightweight face masks for running to more stylish picks, a new report says the most effective face masks are a protective N95 mask.

Also sometimes referred to as N95 respirators, these masks are not to be confused with KN95 masks, which have a similar name, but are held to entirely different standards. Here’s what you need to know.

- N95 Masks vs. KN95 Masks: Similarities and Differences: Both N95 masks and KN95 masks are made from multiple layers of synthetic material (typically a polypropylene plastic polymer) and are designed to be worn over the mouth and nose. Straps behind your ear help to hold the mask in place. Both masks must filter out and capture 95 percent of tiny 0.3 micron particles in the air (hence the “95” in the names). “N95 masks offer protection against particles as small as 0.3 microns in size, and while the coronavirus itself is around 0.1 microns in size, it’s usually attached to something larger, such as droplets that are generated by everyday activities like breathing and talking,” explains Shaz Amin, founder of Honest PPE Supply, which sells masks, face shields, wipes and sanitizers on its website.

“Due to the multiple layers of non-woven fabric and melt blown fabric in the N95 masks, the strong material makeup of these masks are great at preventing airborne particles from entering through your mouth and nose.”




But how are N95 masks different from KN95 masks? The main difference lies in how the masks are certified. “In general,” says Sean Kelly, founder of New Jersey-based PPE of America, “N95 is the U.S. standard, and the KN95 is the China standard.” Because of this, only N95 masks are approved for health-care use in the United States, even though KN95 masks have many of the same protective properties. N95 masks must pass a rigorous inspection and certification process from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the CDC. Companies making KN95 masks, meanwhile, can seek approval from the FDA, through an emergency authorization for a foreign certification which meets the 95 percent filtration requirement. The FDA says the manufacturer of KN95 masks must also provide documentation that the masks and materials used are authentic.

According to Kelly, whose company was among those tapped by Connecticut lawmakers to provide personal protective equipment to frontline workers in the state, certification of KN95 masks include a requirement on “fit testing,” which tests the air inside and outside of the mask, as well as how the mask fits around your face. The N95 masks do not have these requirements to meet their standard. Still, he says, “N95 mask requirements are a bit more stringent regarding the pressure drop in the mask during breathing in, which makes the N95 more breathable than most KN95 masks. The N95 masks have similar requirements for exhaling.

"These requirements,” Kelly says, “make the N95 mask a bit more advanced with the overall breathability for users.”

Keep in mind, the certifications mentioned above only refer to the country in which the standards and regulations were created, not where the masks are made. Most N95 masks are still made in China. Similarly, the CDC has authorized the use of KN95 masks as a suitable alternative to N95 masks for its response to Covid-19...

- Read More (Reusable? Where To Buy Online)
https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/n95-vs-kn95-masks-1044184/

[StClone]

1. Interesting

My son is in medicine and knew this was going to be a long haul. Last Fathers' Day he gave me a very effectively designed N95 mask which doesn't fog glasses, is extremely comfortably, has replaceable filters, form-fitting gel molding and easy on and off (you don't ever have to touch the actual mask unless you are changing the filter).

If you want to see it: https://www.cpap1000.com/products/envo-mask-n95

[appalachiablue]

2. Tx, problems w glasses fog, esp. in humid, tropical areas are common

[StClone]

3. I see the link says "sold out" now

But there are other sources for this mask. In my experience with alternative masks this is a dream.

[appalachiablue]

4. I saw that and will check other sources.

[wnylib]

8. I saw a "tip" at a Yahoo article about

dealing with foggy glasses from masks. The suggestion was to place a band-aid over the bridge of the mask to seal off the air escape that causes the fogging.

But a band-aid is conspicuous unless you have one that is clear. I don't know what else would be both sticky and flexible enough to stay in place.

Some masks are better than others at bending to a good fit over the bridge of the nose and staying in place to prevent glasses from fogging over.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

9. I used clear, hypoallergenic medical tape...

... which completely stopped my glasses from fogging.

That's before I switched to tight-fitting rubber N100 masks.

[appalachiablue]

10. Tx, I've read about using a bandaid or medical tape.

[SunSeeker]

5. I bought a few KN95 masks at Ace Hardware. I can't find an N95 mask to buy.

That's one key difference.


That, and the KN95 mask just comes with stretchy ear loops and doesn't sit tightly on your face.

[Grokenstein]

6. My company provides cloth masks, but I take some extra steps.

The company masks (with company logo of course, they ain't doin' it because they love us) are decent quality, with pull-tight adjustable ear loops. But there are the usual gaps and the nose strip isn't exactly strong. So I go a little further.

I got a set of these ear-loop gaiters and these trimmable "extender" hooks. (The "mask frames" that come with the hooks are good on very hot days but otherwise I have little use for them.) The gaiter is my "base" layer--the ones in the link are a little shallow, so I wrap the front around the top button of my shirt to pin it in place--and then the company mask, loops tied firmly to the hooks to fit comfortably but tight, goes over the gaiter. I can still breathe fine, and the gaiter helps fill in the gaps the cloth mask doesn't close.

When it's hot or I'm fairly isolated, I can drop the cloth mask to my throat and still have good coverage with the gaiter alone. On the downside, even using the gaiter alone will result in fogged glasses...unless you do "the goldfish" and exhale through your mouth with your lips extended against the masks.

It is fucking preposterous that after all these months the United States Government has not fixed this issue. But then, look who was running the show. It's also preposterous that you still can't find Lysol disinfectant spray anywhere, aside from the occasional counterfeit stuff sold at a certain drugstore chain that begins with "W."

[appalachiablue]

7. Thanks, I like the gaiters look but have no experience. Maybe

now I'll check them out. Months back I gave up on Lysol & Clorox, switched to rubbing alcohol.

Do the 'goldfish' lol.