There are too many publicity patterns about N95 and KN95 masks on the Internet, and consumers are picky-
Buy masks with knowledge and science, don’t believe in fooling
Recently, a press conference on the prevention and control of the new crown epidemic in Beijing reminded that key personnel in the takeaway distribution industry and ordinary citizens are required to wear N95 and KN95 masks when they are closed, controlled areas, or when they go to the hospital to see a doctor and get medicine.
The reporter found that the purchase channels of N95 and KN95 masks are smooth and the supply is sufficient. The vast majority of takeaway riders and citizens are also very cooperative, and consciously wear such masks in relevant scenes for protection.
However, there are various advertisements for masks on some e-commerce platforms, and consumers reported to this newspaper: "I thought they bought a KN95 mask, but when I unpacked it, I found that it was either loose and poorly packaged, or had a strange smell and dared not wear it. Or just The shape is similar to KN95, but it is actually an ordinary mask. What if I buy the wrong one and cannot protect it?" To this end, the reporter interviewed experts in related fields to explain in detail how to buy a mask.
encounter
Ads are very fancy, the quality is not good
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce recently released a new version of the "Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Food Delivery Personnel During the Epidemic of the New Crown Epidemic", which stipulates that food delivery personnel must wear N95 or KN95 masks during the delivery process.
In the past few days, the reporter conducted an investigation on the wearing of masks by takeaway delivery personnel, and found that the vast majority of takeaway riders can seriously implement this regulation, whether they are delivering meals upstairs or flying on the delivery road, they all wear such masks.
A rider who ran orders on a food delivery platform told reporters that the company has issued clear regulations that require riders to wear N95 or KN95 masks during work. When riders take orders online every day, they must first upload a piece of clothing wearing such masks. For photos of masks, the system will conduct random inspections on the way of running orders. If the photo review does not meet the requirements, the rider will be warned and restricted from accepting orders.
The rider said: "After all, this is a special period, so doing this can also protect yourself better. You enter and leave so many communities every day, and everyone feels at ease when the protection is in place." Another takeaway rider told reporters that there are now many such masks. , There are many online casual searches, and the price is affordable.
"I bought a lot of them a while ago, and it's less than a dime for one." When the reporter asked about the quality of the masks, he shook his head and said, "I feel that the quality is quite average, the masks have peculiar smell, and some even have the bridge of the nose. I don't have any, but I can't tell the difference, they look really similar, and the merchants advertise it like this, and it's quite cheap, so I bought it and wore it."
A resident who lives in the control area told reporters that he was also worried about buying fake KN95 masks when he bought masks online.
"The advertisements of masks are scattered, and some ordinary masks are made into a three-dimensional shape, which looks the same as KN95 masks. The merchants also advertise that they are anti-epidemic masks, medical KN95 protective masks, and the bacterial filtration effect is ≥99%. I am very moved. I almost placed the order." He specifically asked the customer service whether the mask was a KN95 mask, but the customer service staff never responded.
Afterwards, he carefully looked at the product details page and consulted his knowledgeable neighbors. Only then did he discover that the so-called medical KN95 masks the online store said were actually medical surgical masks.
"Isn't this playing word games and fooling consumers?"
investigation
Propaganda play concept stuns consumers
In the past few days, the reporter has conducted an investigation on the sales of N95 and KN95 masks on many e-commerce platforms, and found that many businesses will clearly mark the type, performance, filtering effect and implementation standards of the masks, and pull down the details page to find the mask filtering effect provided by the business. Test Report.
However, there are also some merchants who post fancy concepts in the mask purchase link, which makes consumers excited and confused at the same time.
The reporter found that some businesses advertise that the masks are of the KN95 protection level, but the words "KF94" are printed on the mask packaging. So is this mask up to the standard?
The reporter searched carefully on the details page and found that there were only advertisements showing the protective effect of masks, and there was no clear indication of the specific type of masks.
Later, the reporter contacted the customer service staff for consultation. The customer service called the mask a KF94 mask, but the effect was similar to that of KN95.
When the reporter asked if he could show the implementation standard of the mask, the customer service only replied "it is dustproof and for civilian use".
In this case, why do the publicity masks reach the KN95 level?
Faced with doubts, the businessman explained that it was "wrong" on the promotional page.
Some businesses advertise masks as "3D three-dimensional", "4D three-dimensional" or even "5D three-dimensional".
Consumers wonder: "3D can still be understood, what do 4D and 5D masks mean? Will the protective effect be better?" An industry insider in the mask production industry said that this kind of publicity is just a gimmick, and its protective effect depends on the specific mask. quality and performance.
Some businesses have played with the concept.
On an e-commerce platform, after searching for KN95 masks, the reporter found that several mask links were marked with the banners of "Medical KN95 Masks" and "Medical KN95 Protective Masks", and promoted the ability to "strictly prevent viruses" and "coronavirus protection". These masks are cheap. About 1 cent each.
The reporter consulted these businesses, but most businesses did not reply.
However, the reporter found that these masks sold under the banner of "medical KN95" had "medical surgical masks" written on the packaging.
It has been confirmed by many experts that KN95 masks are all industrial standards, and there is no "medical KN95 mask".
Suggest
Use these 4 tricks to choose a mask
"Medical N95 masks", "KN95 grade KF94 masks", "Medical KF95 masks", "KN95 type 5D three-dimensional masks"... In the face of the wide variety of mask advertisements on the market, how can consumers become "eye-catching" and choose what they need Facial mask?
In order to solve the doubts of consumers, the reporter contacted Li Lin, the person in charge of the company who is very familiar with the whole field of mask production and sales, to interpret it from four aspects.
The first trick is to see through the "pseudo-concept" of businesses.
Li Lin said that the masks that consumers often use are N95, KN95, medical surgical masks, etc.
Among them, N95 mask is a foreign word. It is not called N95 mask in the domestic strict sense, but medical protective mask; KN95 is a mask produced in my country according to industrial standards, except that there is no sterilization treatment and anti-blood splashing function of medical protective mask. , its protective effect is basically the same as that of N95 masks.
Medical surgical masks are common flat masks for the public. In addition, flat masks are also divided into medical nursing masks and non-medical masks.
"In short, these masks have a certain protective effect, but three-dimensional medical protective masks (N95 masks) and KN95 masks are better than flat masks. It should be noted that KN95 masks are not medical, and there is no 'medical KN95 mask' ' statement."
Li Lin introduced that some consumers encountered a three-dimensional mask whose implementation standard was YY0469, but it was claimed to be a KN95 protective mask. Although it was made into a three-dimensional shape and advertised with the concept of KN95, it actually implemented the standard of a flat mask. .
The second measure is to distinguish the performance of masks by implementing standards in formal channels.
"Under the premise of no professional testing equipment, this is the easiest and most feasible way." Li Lin introduced that N95 is the American standard and KF94 is the Korean standard. In China, the national standard for medical protective masks is GB19083, and the KN95 standard is the implementation standard. It is GB2626, and the executive standard for medical surgical masks is YY0469.
"The model name of the mask is not directly related to its performance, and the stencil on the mask is not the standard for judging the performance of the mask. In order to confuse the concept, some businesses name their mask models KN95, N95, or mark the mask body with N95, The steel stamp of KN95, or claiming to reach the KN95 level, does not really mean that it is an N95 or KN95 mask. Under the premise of excluding counterfeit and inferior, what standard the mask implements, it is a mask of what performance. Therefore, consumers are choosing masks At this time, in addition to paying attention to the introduction of the product by the merchant, it is also necessary to have a clear view of its implementation standards, so that you will not be confused by advertising, and you can choose the type of mask you need more targeted."
The third trick is to use masks with too much irritating odor.
Li Lin said that regular mask products have no taste, or only a slight taste of normal materials.
Under normal circumstances, qualified products produced by regular manufacturers do not need to worry about odor problems.
However, there are also some substandard products on the market. If you find that the odor is pungent or very uncomfortable after wearing it, there may be a problem with the quality of the mask. It is recommended that you not wear it, let alone clean the mask because of the odor, because the mask plays a major role. Once the protective meltblown cloth is damp, it is difficult to play a protective role.
The fourth measure is to self-check the tightness of the mask.
Li Lin said that even if the quality of the masks passes the test, the protective masks will not fit the wearer's face, which will greatly reduce the protective effect.
He admitted that a good protective mask will fit most people's faces, but there is no mask on the market that can fit everyone's face. There is a gap in the joint of the part, and bacteria or viruses will be inhaled into the body from the leaking part. Even if the filtration rate of the meltblown cloth can reach 99%, the actual protection effect may not even reach 60%.
"In the absence of professional suitable equipment, it is recommended that after purchasing a protective mask that meets the standard, simply do a self-test for tightness to see if there is any air leakage."
hint
3 steps to avoid pits when buying masks
Jin Shubin, an associate researcher at the Institute of Urban Safety and Environmental Sciences of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, said that as daily protection, there is no need to blindly pursue high-level protection capabilities. Moderation is enough. The choice of masks is not the more expensive the better, nor the cheaper the better. , but need to make a reasonable choice according to your actual situation.
Jin Shubin suggested that buying masks to avoid "entering the pit" can be divided into three steps.
The first step is to choose regular purchase channels such as chain supermarkets, pharmacies, and online flagship stores. When purchasing, carefully check the factory name, factory address, contact number, production date, and expiration date on the packaging.
"General mask products will be marked with product information on their smallest sales units. If the information is missing, we must be vigilant."
The second step is to identify the implementation standards.
"There are many standards for masks, and you don't need to be familiar with them all. Just remember that GB is a national standard and YY is a medical and health standard. It is usually correct to implement the standards beginning with these two codes. Under this premise, you can combine your specific needs, such as Currently, takeaway riders need to wear N95 or KN95 masks, and they can look for GB19083 and GB2626; if they are buying for children, they can choose masks that implement the GB/T 38880 standard."
The third step, after getting the mask, check whether the product packaging is in good condition, and whether the product surface is damaged or deformed. If the product has a tightness inspection method, you can check it yourself according to the method.
"It should also be reminded that hair will affect the fit of the mask to the face. For better protection, it is not recommended to grow beards when wearing high-level protective masks such as KN95."
Our reporter Lu Yijia