Hey everyone! To begin, I don’t want to discourage people from wearing these masks as a fake KN95 still provides some protection (albeit much less than it should), but I just wanted to raise awareness in case some students wanted to take greater measures to protect themselves :)

I bring this up because today I picked up one of the free KN95 masks that UCI is giving away on campus, and I immediately noticed that it was fake. One easy way to spot a fake KN95 is the absence of a “GB marking.”

The New York Times states that “The KN95 standard requires that masks made after July 1, 2021, be stamped with GB2626-2019, which provides reassurance that the manufacturer constructed the mask according to current Chinese respirator standards, Miller said. A mask with a GB number ending in 2006 was made according to the previous standard and is still legitimate if the expiration date hasn't passed.”

Basically, the mask I got from UCI had only a generic, blank KN95 stamp with no GB code. It also feels very breathable like a disposable surgical mask. I own NIOSH-certified N95 masks that are less easy to breathe in (but still no problem at all), and I would have expected that a real KN95 — which also filters the same/similar amount of air particulates — would be similarly harder to breathe in. Still, do your research — I’m sure there are still fakes with official-looking codes.

Here is a list of CDC-approved non-NIOSH masks. It has several authentic KN95s listed. Here is a helpful NBC article with links to buy authentic KN95s. Purchase at your discretion. Personally, I’d just buy an N95 over a KN95 — they’re easily verifiable and offer more protection for the same price. I got mine at Home Depot.

Anyways, I don’t want to make this a big deal. It isn’t my intention to police anyone, but to provide information. Keep wearing the masks you have (anything is better than nothing, especially if it fits well), but I just wanted to raise awareness for those who want to be extra considerate around vulnerable family members and large crowds. Stay safe and good luck with midterms everyone!