Had you ever expected that we were going to cover our face like this? This coronavirus has converted most of the unusual things into usual and what is more important is that this new normal is our need of the day. We have to prevent ourselves from the coronavirus, and for this, there are some of the basic standards that are set by the governments of many countries.
There are many instruments that you can use to keep yourself safe from the coronavirus. Use of Fogger Machines, Sanitizers and many others but wearing masks is one the prime need you should follow to keep yourself away from this deadly coronavirus. But which mask to choose? The market is flooded with many masks, but there are only two which are ruling. They are N95 mask and KN95 mask. Which to choose?
In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between KN95 Mask and N95 Masks. These two names are pretty much similar, so it might be confusing to know exactly what’s the similarity and what is the difference between these two masks.
KN95 vs N95
1. Name
The name of these two types of marks does not originate from the same country. The N95 name is from US standard whereas KN95 is from China standard. These two countries are also the native place of these masks, respectively. N95 has been used for many years, even before COVID-19 as it was designed many years ago by the US for their military and medical doctors. On the other hand, China introduced this new type of mask in this COVID-19 situation only after testing its effectiveness against coronavirus.
The name of N95 is coined by NIOSH.NIOSH is the governing body in the United States that gets to decide these things. What NIOSH is saying is that the N95 mask meets performance standards that comply withNIOSH 42cf84.
2. Filter standards
Before buying any mask, we are curious about how well the mask can filter out things like viruses, bacteria, PM2.5 and other tiny particles. Good news is, these two masks filter standards are really high. They filter out the same amount of particles.
Research shows that N95 filters out 95 percent of suspended particles like viruses or any other particle, whereas KN95 also filters out almost 95 per cent of the useless particles.
N95 standards can filter out particulate above 0.3 microns, so probably
3. Fit testing in KN95
The main difference between KN95 mask and N95 mask is that KN95 masks have a requirement of fit testing. A fit test is where you measure how well a mask fits around your face and how well the mask is able to filter out when it is on your face. So, the KN95 Chinese standard has a requirement for this in the standard, whereas the N95 standard does not.
Now, that doesn’t mean that in the US, people do not fit tests or organisations like hospitals don’t require a fit test. Fit tests are still really important, and organisations in the US do them, and they require them for their workers. But, it is not part of the N95 standard.
4. Mask Breathability
There is a difference between how well you can breathe through both the masks. The N95 standard mask has slightly more stringent requirements on the breathability of the mask, which means that it is slightly easier to breathein a N95 mask when compared with a KN95 mask. N95 allows easier breathability both in and out which does not create any sort of pressure inside the mask.
KN95 masks have a more compact structure when compared to N95 masks, and thus it is a bit difficult to breathe in and out from these Chinese standard masks.
5. Availability
When talking out the availability of both these masks, N95 is more readily available in comparison with KN95. There is a lot of storage of N95 masks in the market, but KN95 are present in limited numbers.
6. Comfort in wearing
N95 mask goes around your head while KN95 goes around your ears. This is the basic difference between these two masks. When we talk about the comfort in wearing, KN95 masks are more comfortable to wear than the N95 mask.
The N95 stretches all over the head, and there is not any fitting on the nose side to cover the empty space adequately. On the other hand, KN95 extends over your ears, and there is almost not any space left while covering. It is also easy to wear and can easily be removed.
7. Origin
As discussed earlier, N95 is based upon the US standards, and KN95 is based upon the Chinese standards.
Which is better?
There is a close fight between KN95 and N95 masks, but there is a winner in this competition. According to the doctors, even though both the masks suspend and filter the equal amount of particles and viruses, still the KN95 mask is preferred over N95 masks because it covers our full face and it is comfortable to wear. Also, when we talk about washing easiness, KN95 is easily washable when compared to N95 mask.
Here are some more minor and technical differences between KN95 mask and an N95 mask.
