KN95 masks, like the name suggest, is an alternative for N95 masks. While the CDC certified the effectiveness of KN95, KN95 has a slight difference with N95 masks, mainly that KN95’s factories are often not certified by the US government. According to Buzzfeed, the FDA is not giving approval to KN95 Masks. Buzzfeed points out that
“Last week, to ease the national shortfall of protective gear, the FDA issued an emergency authorization for non-N95 respirators that had been certified by five foreign countries as well as the European Union. It conspicuously left the KN95 masks out of the emergency authorization.”
Bensinger, Ken. “Coronavirus Cases Have Surged, But The US Is Refusing To Take The World’s Most Available Masks.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed News, 31 Mar. 2020, www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/coronavirus-kn95-masks-us-wont-import-china.
Buzzfeed alludes that the denial of KN95 is a political move to target China because KN95 masks are mostly made in China.
website: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kenbensinger/coronavirus-kn95-masks-us-wont-import-china