- The Canadian government found that a recent order of a million respirator masks purchased from China didn’t meet standards to protect against coronavirus.
- The proper rating for medical respirators is N95 (or its equivalent in China, KN95), which means its been shown to filter 95% of tiny particles. But some KN95 masks were found to be substandard.
- Worldwide demand for respirators and other protective gear for front line medical staff treating COVID-19 patients has made supplies scarce in many countries, including in the US.
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One million respirators ordered from China by the Canadian government have been found to be below protective standards needed to combat COVID-19, the Globe and Mail has reported.
The face masks were intended for healthcare workers on the front lines of treating the coronavirus outbreak, however, the equipment failed to meet the filtration standard for personal protective equipment in a medical setting, according to Canada’s Public Health Agency (PHAC).
“To date, PHAC has identified approximately one million KN95 masks as non-compliant with specifications for health care settings. These items were not distributed to provinces and territories for front-line health care response, and are being subsequently assessed for use in non-health care settings,” said Eric Morrissette, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Canada’s Public Health Agency, according to the Globe and Mail.
Morrissette added that high demand for the masks has led many countries to work with new suppliers and manufacturers, and that PHAC was conducting “due diligence” on all masks it received before sending them out to provinces or cities for use.
It's not clear whether the Canadian government will seek a refund for the faulty masks, the Globe and Mail reported.
China provides as much as 70% of personal protective equipment shipped to Canada, Politico reported, and the sub-standard masks may be repurposed for non-healthcare settings, for use by people at lower risk of exposure to the virus, according to Health Minister Patty Hajdu.
And Canada isn't the only country dealing with faulty supplies. Last month, Holland recalled about 600,000 face masks (also from China) after hospital staff found they didn't fit properly, potentially exposing doctors and nurses to the virus, Business Insider previously reported.
Standard respirators are rated to filter 95% of tiny particles, including viral contagions
N95 respirators are in high demand to protect healthcare workers as they treat patients with COVID-19. These masks (or their Chinese equivalent, the KN95) are so named because they are tested to filter at least 95% of tiny particles (including the contagious respiratory droplets that spread the coronavirus).
That's significantly more than other common types of face coverings, including surgical masks or homemade cloth face masks, according to research, which block between 3%-56% of particles.
Medical staff are significantly more likely to be exposed to infectious viral particles in the course of treating patients, so it's particularly important that they have access to adequate protective equipment, experts have said. N95 masks can be used even if they're technically past their expiration date if properly stored, but the equipment needs to fit snugly, forming a tight seal, in order to be effective. Old equipment with damaged elastic may not offer as much protection.
In the absence of factory-made equipment, some hospitals have reported that front line workers are to resorting to re-using respirators (which should be disposed of after use to avoid contamination) or being forced to improvise with homemade masks.
Read more:
Everything we know about masks and the coronavirus, from who should wear them to how to make one