How to Extend Your Use of N95/KN95/FFP2 Masks

We've seen enormous demands for KN95 masks from our community, all of the KN95 stocks have been claimed out by nonda users in the first couple of hours.

As this product is quite expensive and extremely hard to secure, we want to share with you this guidance recommended by the CDC on how to extend your use of N95/KN95/FFP2 masks.

(We'll use KN95 masks as an example but the steps are exactly the same for all N95/KN95/FFP2 masks)

The principle is quite simple here. You need to place a 3-layer face mask over the KN95 mask to protect it from surface contamination, so the use of KN95 masks can be extended.

Here are the correct steps to extend your use of KN95 masks.

Put-on

1. Wash your hands with soap and water before putting on masks

2. Put on a new KN95 mask correctly, check if the seal is tight.

3. Then put on another new 3-layer face mask over the KN95 mask, recheck the seal to make sure you wear them right.

Remove

1. Always remember to perform hand hygiene first.

2. Remove the 3-layer face mask covering your KN95 by the ear loops and discard it properly in a closed bin.

3. Perform hand hygiene again since the front of the 3-layer face mask is contaminated, and you don't want that to touch your KN95 mask.

4. Doff the KN95 mask

Inspection & Storage

1. After you doff the KN95 mask, inspect the worn KN95 for any visible contamination, distortion in shape/form. If the KN95 mask is contaminated or wet, creased or bent, it can not be reused and should be discarded right away.

2. If it's NOT visibly contaminated or distorted, store it carefully in a well-ventilated container (like a paper bag with handles) to avoid destroying the shape and consistency of the mask.

Reuse

1. Remove the KN95 mask from the paper bag and perform another round of visual check for distortion again. Do NOT reuse if bent or creased.

2. Perform hand hygiene and don the KN95 mask

3. Perform a negative/positive seal check by doing the following

a. No air should be felt around the perimeter while blowing out. If you feel air coming out, it is not a tight seal.

b. When taking a small breath in, the mask should pucker in slightly. If it does not, it is not reusable.

c. When breathing out, you should feel the respirator expand slightly. If it does not, it is not reusable.

4. Ensure the mask is breathable. If you are unable to breathe in the mask, it cannot be reused.

Reuse or extended use of a KN95 mask should be limited and is only a temporary solution because of the shortage of this protective supply.

Also, we'll try our best to secure more KN95 masks at a low cost and inform our community firsthand when they are restocked.

Please share this post with people you think who might need it. With love and care, we can make the most out of what we got and fight through this together.

* Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcontrols/recommendedguidanceextuse.html