Workers at 40 hospitals across Washington State may have been supplied with fake N95 masks, which were purchased by the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) and individual hospitals, CNN reports.
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alerted the WSHA that a December shipment of two million masks contained counterfeit 3M brand N95 respirator masks, after 3M notified DHS of the issue. The WSHA immediately warned the 40 hospitals that they potentially received the counterfeit masks, according to a statement from the organization. Many of the masks have already been used, but after the warning, the hospitals pulled their remaining masks from that December shipment and submitted them to the 3M Fraud Department for analysis.
On February 7, 3M verified to the WSHA that at least some of the masks were not, in fact, made by the company. According to the WSHA, 3M flagged several lot numbers that the counterfeiters may have used, although they have yet to analyze all of the lots. In a statement to SELF, 3M confirmed that the WSHA and hospitals bought the masks from distributors that 3M does not have a relationship with.
There was nothing about the masks that indicated to WSHA or the hospitals that they were fraudulent. “They look and feel and fit and smell just like a 3M Mask,” WSHA president and CEO Cassie Sauer told CNN. “These masks had the appropriate paperwork and passed physical inspection and testing.” Sauer also noted that they have not observed a rise in COVID-19 cases in the affected hospitals. It’s not clear yet whether or not the masks actually provide the same amount of protection as actual N95s.
For now, 3M is still analyzing the masks, consulting with the WSHA and DHS on the fake N95 masks in Washington, and working more broadly on the issue of counterfeit masks. 3M has “launched a global effort to combat fraud, counterfeiting and price-gouging to help protect the public against those who try to exploit the demand for critical 3M products during a pandemic,” the company said in a statement to SELF. “As part of that effort 3M is partnering with law enforcement and customs agencies to prevent the sale and manufacture of counterfeit 3M respirators.”
Like other forms of personal protective equipment (PPE), N95s have been in high demand and short supply since the start of the pandemic, a situation that fraudsters continue to exploit. In January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that they have seized over 14 million counterfeit face masks since the pandemic began. In December, for instance, they intercepted two shipments from Hong Kong at John F. Kennedy International Airport containing more than 100,000 counterfeit 3M N95 masks.
N95s filter out at least 95 percent of all airborne particles, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When worn properly, N95s form a protective seal around the wearer’s nose and mouth in a way that cloth and surgical masks do not.
Health care workers rely on this key piece of PPE to minimize their exposure to COVID-19. Because they are in short supply and intended for health care workers, the CDC still recommends that the general public do not wear them. But a growing number of experts is arguing that the public should have better access to more effective masks, including N95s, as SELF reported previously.
If you’re looking to purchase an N95 mask (or verify one you already own), check NIOSH’s list of approved N95 manufacturers. NIOSH also provides guidance for identifying authentic and approved masks—as well as spotting counterfeits, including a running list of fake masks they’ve identified. In general, NIOSH advises caution when purchasing from third-party marketplaces (like Amazon or eBay) or online sellers you’re not familiar with. As the news out of Washington State proves, it’s easy to be fooled.
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