07 April 2020
HealthDay Reports: FDA Authorizes the Use of Chinese-Approved Face Masks in the US
As the struggle to get enough personal protective equipment for healthcare workers continues, the FDA has put out an emergency use authorization for face masks that don't meet U.S. standards to get more masks into the country.
FDA Authorizes Use of Chinese-Approved Masks in United States
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency use authorization of protective masks that do not meet American standards has been announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The KN95 masks meet Chinese standards but not U.S. ones. They are almost identical in performance to U.S.-approved N95 masks, with slight differences in their specifications.
KN95 masks are a suitable alternative when N95s are not available, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.