Counterfeit N95 masks perform better than expected

Millions of counterfeit 3M respirator masks are circulating in the United States, but the good news is, at least some of the masks appear to work. At the request of Kaiser Health News, ECRI, a not-for-profit that helps health providers assess the quality of medical technology, tested a dozen knock-off masks discovered in New Jersey. The tests showed they filtered out 95% or more of the 0.3-micron particles legitimate N95 masks are designed to catch. The tests did not evaluate the masks’ fit, which is also critical to the masks’ proper function, or other potential problems with the material used to make the counterfeit masks. (Modern Healthcare article, 2/11/21)