A Mask is not a mask. Two masks are not doubling up. There is a life and death difference in wearing a N95 compared to a surgical mask or a clothes mask. CDC remains quiet and there may be a reason for it. Is it all a big lie to confuse the American people?
- Why is the truth about the best mask to wear so difficult to admit by US health officials?
- Tough questions, but easy to answer, were asked to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known as the CDC. After more than 10 follow-up calls and many more emails, a response was promised but avoided by US officials.
- Is the silence by CDC an indication the Government is not ready to tell the American people the truth about mask wearing?
On January 24, eTurboNews began questioning the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on what mask to wear. This inquiry was triggered due to the CDC recommending cloth masks for Americans and telling US citizen not to buy N95 masks.
At the same time, health authorities in Europe, specifically in Germany, made it illegal to wear cloth masks. The reason for German health authorities to take this step was they offered limited or no protection. Germany now mandates FFP-2 masks, similar to what the US knows as N95-type masks, China calls them KN95, South Korea calls them KF94.
To add to the confusion, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states on its website:
N95 respirators and surgical masks are examples of personal protective equipment that are used to protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also regulate N95 respirators.
The CDC still recommends “Cloth Face Coverings for Use by the General Public” and states on its website:
The CDC recommends that members of the public use simple cloth face coverings when in a public setting to slow the spread of the virus, since this will help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
The CDC tells Americans:
N95 Respirators are not for Use by the General Public.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that the general public wear N95 respirators to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19). Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.
The CDC take on surgical masks:
While a surgical mask may be effective in blocking splashes and large-particle droplets, a face mask, by design, does not filter or block very small particles in the air that may be transmitted by coughs, sneezes, or certain medical procedures. Surgical masks also do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the mask and your face.
Ironically, the CDC admits on another hard-to-find web page:
An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. Note that the edges of the respirator are designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth. Surgical N95 Respirators are commonly used in healthcare settings and are a subset of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs), often referred to as N95s.
The similarities among surgical masks and surgical N95s are:
- They are tested for fluid resistance, filtration efficiency (particulate filtration efficiency and bacterial filtration efficiency), flammability, and biocompatibility.
- They should not be shared or reused.
With N95 now becoming more available and many of the KN95 masks from China which have received emergency authorization in the US, the issue of mask wearing is becoming confusing and outdated. For ordinary Americans, following outdated and incorrect recommendations may be deadly.
After eTurboNews received a CDC press release from the CDC on suggesting double masking, eTN contacted the CDC again on February 10 for clarification. The response remains outstanding.
The video below will show recordings from some of the conversation with the CDC together with an interview with a health professional from Cologne, Germany.
