Millions of medical masks purchased by the state of Illinois — from China — may not be able to be used in the way they were intended.
WGN reports Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has been scouring the world for gowns, gloves and masks. Part of that effort includes buying masks from China, including the KN95, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said earlier this month was an acceptable alternative during this crisis to the United States approved N95 masks.
Now, officials in Missouri are recalling thousands of KN95 masks distributed to first responders.
“Testing over the weekend by the Missouri Department of Public Health and Senior Services show that some of these masks did not meet standards,” Sandy Kartsen, director of Missouri Department of Public Safety tells WGN.
An alert from the Illinois Department of Public Health now says: “KN95 masks from China may not meet performance standards…counterfeit kn95 masks are reportedly flooding the marketplace”
The health department now recommends agencies “remove from service any kn95’s that have already been received.”
