I actually have some knowledge of what is going on the mask market because that is my job. 3M has licensed other companies to manufacture N-95 respirator masks. N-95 masks, when properly fitted and worn with goggles or safety glasses, provide an increased level of protection from pathogens compared to surgical or cloth masks. Currently, almost all N-95 masks being manufactured in the United States are being shipped to hospitals, other healthcare facilities, first responders, or the federal government. Companies that normally re-sell N-95's to the general public or private industry are out of stock and have no ETA on when they will be re-stocked. I know this because my company sells them and we have been cut off too. Just go on Grainger, MSC, or Partsmaster's websites and see if you can find any in stock. Because 3M has licensed other manufacturers to manufacture N-95's, they are now starting to export some of these masks to other countries.
The KN-95 is a competitive mask to the N-95. The KN-95 meets the same filtration specs as the N-95 but it is not certified for use by healthcare facilities. This is because 3M has had a lock on the market for years on respirator masks. The KN-95 is made in China and is very much in demand right now all over the world. I have been selling KN-95's over the past week like they are going out of style. Even though these masks are available, they are available with 10-21 day back orders. Unfortunately, they are not available to every company. My company has a long-standing relationship with a manufacture, so that is how we are procuring them. Most of my sales have been to private industry, not healthcare since the N-95 is the only certified mask for healthcare.
Personally, I think 3M is getting a bad rap because of optics. There are plenty of N-95's coming off the manufacturing line. The N-95's that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, flew in from China yesterday are actually not N-95's. They are KN-95's. The "K" is a designation for Chinese-made. Again, I know because I am selling the KN-95's. As I said in the previous paragraph, the KN-95's are almost identical to the N-95's, they are just not certified for healthcare. That does not mean healthcare facilities cannot use them, but they are more likely to be used in non-healthcare settings. That said, while most of my sales have been to private industry, I have two large hospitals in Central Florida that have purchased the KN-95's, but they are for patient and visitor use, not healthcare workers.
I hope this helps.
