Multiple speakers on townhall claim KN95s given to teachers were not FDA approved/were counterfeit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought N95s were the ones that got approval, and KF95s were not — which is why you are only supposed to use N95s in medical settings.

Most medical professionals don’t even use N95s, certainly not all the time.

There’s a wacko dad in our PTA that keeps composing about this too. Some people will never be happy.

Oh, they do. And if you work in a medical building where they don't, that's something you need to take up with management.

No. You’re wrong. I am a medical professional and I wear a KN95. Have worked since last June and never wore an N95.

My kid’s orthodontist, who is being sprayed with aerosols regularly, doesn’t wear an N95. He wears a KN95 and his staff uses KF94s or KN95s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Research scientist here.

N95, FFP2, KN95 and KF94 (respectively from the USA, Europe, China, S. Korea) all have strict standards of manufacture, and are all approved for emergency use, if they go through the right channels, for protection against Covid-19.

The problem is that a lot of unapproved, and a smaller number of counterfeit, masks have been produced since the beginning of the pandemic. These might not protect at all against viral spread, and so are not recommended for use.

I don't know whether these masks are counterfeit or not, but fakes have been a huge problem since 2020, so I wouldn't be surprised that MCPS mistakenly bought the wrong masks.

Counterfeit KN95's were a huge problem way before 2020. Masks are in use in other countries due to smog/virus. Counterfeits have been a problem for years.

Yeah, take it up with Amazon. They’ve helped the counterfeit sellers in China flourish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Research scientist here.

N95, FFP2, KN95 and KF94 (respectively from the USA, Europe, China, S. Korea) all have strict standards of manufacture, and are all approved for emergency use, if they go through the right channels, for protection against Covid-19.

The problem is that a lot of unapproved, and a smaller number of counterfeit, masks have been produced since the beginning of the pandemic. These might not protect at all against viral spread, and so are not recommended for use.

I don't know whether these masks are counterfeit or not, but fakes have been a huge problem since 2020, so I wouldn't be surprised that MCPS mistakenly bought the wrong masks.

Counterfeit KN95's were a huge problem way before 2020. Masks are in use in other countries due to smog/virus. Counterfeits have been a problem for years.

Yeah, take it up with Amazon. They’ve helped the counterfeit sellers in China flourish.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought N95s were the ones that got approval, and KF95s were not — which is why you are only supposed to use N95s in medical settings.

Most medical professionals don’t even use N95s, certainly not all the time.

There’s a wacko dad in our PTA that keeps composing about this too. Some people will never be happy.

"They gave you cheap, thin, counterfeit masks during a pandemic. Some people will never be happy!"

Moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ask yourself where MCPS could obtain a couple hundred thousand certified N95 masks on very short notice during the Omicron surge.

I know! I know!

They should have ordered safe masks in July when they were opening schools and decided they’d never close for absolutely any reason. Really any time was a good time to order legit masks.

That’s when they should have ordered them.

Bingo!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought N95s were the ones that got approval, and KF95s were not — which is why you are only supposed to use N95s in medical settings.

Most medical professionals don’t even use N95s, certainly not all the time.

There’s a wacko dad in our PTA that keeps composing about this too. Some people will never be happy.

Teachers are forced to work in difficult situation. The deserve new N95 every day. They are doing a job the same parents complaining aren't willing to do.

You realize that other essential workers (like my spouse and several other family members) have been in person throughout the pandemic, before vaccines were available and when real masks wee hard to find? Have some perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought N95s were the ones that got approval, and KF95s were not — which is why you are only supposed to use N95s in medical settings.

Most medical professionals don’t even use N95s, certainly not all the time.

There’s a wacko dad in our PTA that keeps composing about this too. Some people will never be happy.

Oh, they do. And if you work in a medical building where they don't, that's something you need to take up with management.

Have you been to a hospital recently?

[Anonymous]

I suspect there is a reason they ordered KN95s rather than N95s (e.g., availability, comfort, fit). Those who wears N95s in occupational settings often have fittings to ensure the mask fits properly, and when they do fit they can be pretty uncomfortable to wear for an extended period of time.

So, MCPS purchasing KN95s in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing. But why wouldn't they purchase from a reputable retailer? And now they’re going to be passing these out to students too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought N95s were the ones that got approval, and KF95s were not — which is why you are only supposed to use N95s in medical settings.

Most medical professionals don’t even use N95s, certainly not all the time.

There’s a wacko dad in our PTA that keeps composing about this too. Some people will never be happy.

Teachers are forced to work in difficult situation. The deserve new N95 every day. They are doing a job the same parents complaining aren't willing to do.

You realize that other essential workers (like my spouse and several other family members) have been in person throughout the pandemic, before vaccines were available and when real masks wee hard to find? Have some perspective.

This.

I am an essential worker who has been working in person, in contact with the public, since June 2020.

A new N95 for every teacher in MCPS is wasteful, and hugely unnecessary.

Teachers are vaccinated. Kids are low risk. People truly need to get some more perspective.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing counterfeit about the mask. No claim about it being counterfeit has been made. It simply doesn't perform to the level of 95% filtration and is thus not on the approved list of KN95s that have an emergency authorization to be used when certified N95s cannot be obtained:


https://www.eu-esf.org/personal-protective-equipment/non-compliant/respiratory-protection/5731-rapex-2021-10-particle-filter-mask-shenzhen-medical-equipment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Multiple speakers on townhall claim KN95s given to teachers were not FDA approved/were counterfeit.

Is this true?

Has MCPS corrected this problem and order legit masks for students and teachers yet? 3M N95s madein the United States are in supply. Makes no sense that they bought fake KN95s and waste tax payer $$$.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Multiple speakers on townhall claim KN95s given to teachers were not FDA approved/were counterfeit.

Is this true?

Has MCPS corrected this problem and order legit masks for students and teachers yet? 3M N95s madein the United States are in supply. Makes no sense that they bought fake KN95s and waste tax payer $$$.

I was given another one today. The first photo on this thread is not it. The pictures on the Twitter account linked are.
As other teachers have said, I was skeptical to begin with. When i opened the first one last week, I knew I should stick with the ones i purchased on my own. Not surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Multiple speakers on townhall claim KN95s given to teachers were not FDA approved/were counterfeit.

Is this true?

Has MCPS corrected this problem and order legit masks for students and teachers yet? 3M N95s madein the United States are in supply. Makes no sense that they bought fake KN95s and waste tax payer $$$.

No one cares whether they're made in the USA or not. That's not the point. The problem is masks that are not FDA-approved and may be counterfeit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Multiple speakers on townhall claim KN95s given to teachers were not FDA approved/were counterfeit.

Is this true?

Has MCPS corrected this problem and order legit masks for students and teachers yet? 3M N95s madein the United States are in supply. Makes no sense that they bought fake KN95s and waste tax payer $$$.

No one cares whether they're made in the USA or not. That's not the point. The problem is masks that are not FDA-approved and may be counterfeit.

Did they assign an intern to ordering or something? It’s not that hard to find a reputable supplier of fda approved masks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing counterfeit about the mask. No claim about it being counterfeit has been made. It simply doesn't perform to the level of 95% filtration and is thus not on the approved list of KN95s that have an emergency authorization to be used when certified N95s cannot be obtained:


https://www.eu-esf.org/personal-protective-equipment/non-compliant/respiratory-protection/5731-rapex-2021-10-particle-filter-mask-shenzhen-medical-equipment

This is not accurate. The CDC found the masks to be counterfeit in 2020 https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/usernotices/counterfeitResp.html