As the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Anthony Fauci warn Americans that cloth masks and single-use surgical masks may not provide adequate protection from the COVID-19 omicron virus, the left is now pushing for Americans to wear only N95 respirators.
On Wednesday, progressive liberal U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate to provide every American with an N95 mask.
“I introduced legislation, along with more than 50 of my colleagues, to produce N95 masks, one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of Covid-19, and distribute them to every American for free,” Sanders said. “All Americans should have face masks that will keep them safe. This will save lives and reduce health care costs.”
There’s just one problem with Sanders’ bill. Every American will need at least 365 N95 masks to properly and safely protect themselves because the FDA warns those masks are single use only.
“All FDA-cleared N95 respirators are labeled as “single-use,” disposable devices. If your respirator is damaged or soiled, or if breathing becomes difficult, you should remove the respirator, discard it properly, and replace it with a new one. To safely discard your N95 respirator, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Wash your hands after handling the used respirator,” according to the FDA.
The CDC warns Americans that 60% of N95 respirators on the market today are fakes and don’t carry the NIOSH seal of approval. The CDC provides a list of NIOSH-certified manufacturers.
Masks that don’t bear the NIOSH seal, according to the CDC might not give you the protection level necessary to stop the COVID-19 virus as the certified devices would.
The FDA issued four health and safety warnings regarding N95 masks:
- People with chronic respiratory, cardiac, or other medical conditions that make breathing difficult should check with their health care provider before using an N95 respirator because the N95 respirator can make it more difficult for the wearer to breathe.
- Some models have exhalation valves that can make breathing out easier and help reduce heat build-up. Note that N95 respirators with exhalation valves should not be used when sterile conditions are needed.
- All FDA-cleared N95 respirators are labeled as “single-use,” disposable devices. If your respirator is damaged or soiled, or if breathing becomes difficult, you should remove the respirator, discard it properly, and replace it with a new one. To safely discard your N95 respirator, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Wash your hands after handling the used respirator.
- N95 respirators are not designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.
Sander’s “Chicken in Every Pot” stance for N95 means that the federal government would have a huge burden on its hands.
With a population of 329 million people, the United States would have to purchase 120 billion N95 masks to provide one for each American for each day of the year. At a median cost of $3 per mask, it would require $360 trillion.