Chinese-manufactured masks on front lines with US health workers exposed as fake
Millions of medical masks, gloves, gowns, and other supplies being used across U.S. hospitals coming mostly from China have been found to be counterfeits. An investigation by the Associated Press looked into a shipment coming into a Southern California warehouse earlier this year from a Chinese factory named Shanghai Dasheng. When going to its website, a sign appears saying, "We don't have any distributors, dealers, or branch factories. Beware of counterfeit!" The masks that came had ear loops, while authentic ones typically have bands that stretch across the back of the head for a tighter fit. The masks apparently had been approved by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which gives them the safety green light to be used by healthcare workers.
The day before the masks' arrival, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning saying N95 masks with ear loops from Shanghai Dasheng are counterfeit. N95 masks are supposed to provide among the strongest protection from airborne particles, making them the preferred personal protection equipment for most health facilities. It is unknown whether the company is creating its own counterfeits or someone is using the company's certification numbers without its permission to make fake masks.
Shanghai Dasheng is one of the largest manufacturers of authentic N95s in the world, and one of only a handful in China certified to make NIOSH approved, U.S. medical-grade N95s, the AP reports. A separate scenario in Massachusetts led to first responders discovering some of the masks they were using were also fake. This came around the time when the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the Chinese equivalent of N95 masks, dubbed KN95 masks.
CBS News says they contacted several Chinese suppliers posing as importers and reported some said their respirators labeled as KN95s aren't suitable for hospital use. "I don't suggest you use them," one supplier told CBS. The Chinese government said they would seize 89 million counterfeit masks. The CDC issued a warning about counterfeit masks coming from China. "Counterfeit respirators are products that are falsely marketed and sold as being NIOSH-approved and may not be capable of providing appropriate respiratory protection to workers," the warning reads. The CDC said it will post counterfeit respirators or those misrepresenting U.S.-approved masks on its website.
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