Masks: Choosing the most effective kind and avoiding counterfeits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that they would not being making a change to their guidance on face masks despite reports that they were considering advising people to use the N95 or KN85 masks instead of a cloth mask.

“CDC continues to recommend that any mask is better than no mask and we do encourage all Americans to wear a well-fitting mask to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, CDC Director, said during a White House COVID-19 response team briefing.

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The possibility of the guidance changing sparked discussions about which type of mask is the best to protect against COVID-19.

Dan Suffoletto, Public Information Officer of Public Health Dayton-Montgomery County, said the homemade masks are less effective than surgical masks or KN95.

Compared to KN95 masks, cloth masks do not have as many layers. Suffoletto said that the KN95 masks also fit more snuggly to your nose.

Finding the higher-grade masks, like KN95 and N95, could be more complicated than it seems. Since the start of the pandemic, Customs and Boarder Patrol has seized more than 34 million counterfeit masks.

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The CDC said these are tips to identify a counterfeit mask:

• No markings on the face piece
• No approval (TC) number on the mask or headband
• No NIOSH markings or incorrectly spelled
• Decorative markings
• The mask has ear loops instead of headbands

“You can go to the CDC’s website and they have a breakdown of how to tell what type of masks you’re looking for,” Suffoletto said.

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