With rising Covid- 19 cases, it’s important to stay protected by wearing a secure mask that can help prevent the spread. The KN95 is recommended by most health professionals due to its outstanding data that proves its effectiveness.  

The KN95 mask has a tight fit that helps with filtering any particles that are airborne. The fibers that are within the mask contain a denser network compared to surgical or cloth masks which makes it the most effective option.

“I recently switched over from a cloth mask to a KN95 mask because of the surge in cases. I feel a lot more secure in the KN95 because of how tight it is on my face and the overall fit,” said junior Ellie Davis

It was proven by the National institute of occupational safety and health that the mask is able to filter 95% of particles coming in and out of the mask. 

It is also possible to reuse a KN95 after wearing it when testing positive for Covid. To do so, you must follow the following steps. 

Place the mask in a sealed paper brown bag, in a room temperature climate. Leave the contaminated mask for three to four days to give the particles time to die. 

Lastly, wash your hands from all the germs and after following these steps it should be safe to reuse.

“I prefer to wear a KN95 mask when I am in highly populated areas and school is one of those places where I choose to wear a KN95. Due to the mass amount of students, especially when transitioning in between classes, I feel safer wearing the KN95,” said junior Ruftana Beyene 

One of the few instances when it’s not safe to reuse a KN95 mask is when it is contaminated with nasal secretions, blood, or any other bodily fluids. As Well as a broken nose stap or broken nose pieces. 

There are also kid size KN95 masks available to perfectly fit a child’s face. The mask is called the “duck-bill N95 mask” and it is recommended by the St. Judes hospital for children. 

Both the KN95 and the N95 masks are very similar and almost equivalent in protection rates. They are both recommended by all health officials although the KN95 seems to be more efficient due to its tight suction ability. 

The Center of Disease and Control and prevention is a national focus which develops and applies disease prevention and control. 

They are the official health protection agency for the United States and they have a large influence over how many Americans protect themselves against Covid-19. 

The CDC recommended the KN95 as the number one mask to fight Covid and FCPS follows their rules and regulations as well. 

To receive a KN95 mask at Annandale, you can simply go to the office and ask the front desk for one. 

There is a mandatory mask mandate across FCPS and it is implemented in every school as a requirement of all students and staff to follow. 

On the FCPS website it states that KN95 mask is the most effective mask and it is provided in many schools across the county. 

“I feel less scared that I will test positive for Covid when I’m wearing a KN95. I do obviously know that it isn’t guaranteed that the mask will protect me in every situation but I feel safer when I have a KN95 mask on compared to a cloth or surgical mask,” said junior Litzy Rivas 

The KN95 mask is recommended for many reasons, but the main reason is the studies that prove it’s effectiveness. The KN95 mask is 48% more effective than cloth masks and it reduces the odds of testing positive for Covid-19 by 83% according to a study conducted by Forbes. 

The KN95 was first introduced to the country in 2020 by healthcare facilities around the nation. It quickly became the preferred mask when the shortage for N95 masks hit all over the world.

It was authorized by the FDA in April of 2020 as a mask to use under any “emergency circumstances”. 

The KN95 mask is also useful for many situations aside from Covid. For example it is commonly used for construction, quarrying, metal working, pottery, etc. 

It is important to buy a reliable KN95 mask as there have been many counterfeit masks that are created with poor quality.

KN95 masks are available for purchase at any local CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, and Home Depot. 

The white house has also issued a mass mask distribution as they will be distributing 400 million KN95 masks to health care centers all over the country, free of charge. 

This decision came after the surge in cases, following the Omicron variant which sparked the spike in positive Covid tests.