The Safest Mask is not recommended by CDC in the US, but a must in Europe

N95maskbiden
N95maskbiden
Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

The CDC spokesperson is speechless. CDC rules contradict German mask wearing rules 180 degrees.

  1. Is the American Government through CDC lying to the American People on what type of mask to wear?
  2. Why is US President Biden following European guidelines on mask wearing for himself and his family, and is telling the American People to follow US guidelines set by the CDC?
  3. Cloth masks are illegal to wear in most of Germany, but recommended in the US. N95 type masks are not recommended in the US, but wearing them is the law in many German states.

What is good for my President is good for me. This is what many Americans are usually comfortable saying and are following. So why it President Biden and the CDC misleading the American People in not telling the truth on what masks are safe to wear?

According to a report in USA Today, US President Biden wears his N95 mask on when flying on Air Force One. When he leaves the plane he adds his famous black cloth mask as an extra layer of protection.

The President knows better. The CDC most likely knows better also. So why is the CDC not sharing correct and life-saving information with the American people? Is the CDC deliberately lying to the American people and putting American citizens in harm’s way, or are German authorities over-reacting?

eTurboNews has been trying to get clarification from CDC for more than a week now. eTN wanted to know why it s not recommending wearing N95 or KN95 masks. eTN wanted to know why CDC is recommending clothes mask knowing such masks are not effective. After 4 emails, 6 phone calls, and 4 promises of an immediate response, there has been no response.

The US President is following the standard required in many European countries, including Germany, which goes against the mask guides published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .

Have two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric is the recommendation by the CDC. The N95 mask is NOT recommended for the public to wear according to the federal agency.

Research in both Europe and the United States, however, shows that N95 masks (US standard), KN95 masks (Chinese standard), N94 (South Korean standard), and FFP2 (European standard) all have one thing in common – filters used in these masks manage to kill 95% of non-oily particles in the air.

Surgical mask have less protections and are designed to protect others and not the person wearing the mask. Cloth masks usually have minimal (40 percent at best) or no significant protection. Although N95 respirators are designed to fit very close to the face forming a seal that filters 95% of airborne particles, CDC states, these masks are not recommended for the general public, because it has been said they should be reserved for healthcare workers and medical first responders. N95 masks, however, are available to order in good supply on the Internet.

A report in the US Military publication “Stars and Stripes” said this:

Medical-grade masks are required across Germany but different states have different rules about which ones can be worn, and military officials havenโ€™t said if the new requirements will also apply on U.S. bases.

Masks that can be worn while shopping, using public transportation, going to the doctor, attending religious services, or in any public venue that is likely to be heavily trafficked, are FFP2 or FFP3 masks, KN95 or N95 masks.

In some German States, surgical masks or OP masks are only allowed inside, while N95 type masks must be worn by everyone in public venues.

FFP2 or KN95/N95 masks have been mandatory in Bavaria since January 18, 2021. Germany’s largest state, which is home to USAG Bavaria and USAG Ansbach, do not allow surgical masks.

Surgical masks look similar to lower-grade masks that don’t meet the standards for medical-grade face coverings. They must have multiple layers of fabric, a metal strut that sits across the nose, and say on their packaging that they are type II or III and CE rated, states Germanyโ€™s Federal Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices on its website. Type I surgical masks are not medical-grade.

surgical
surgical mask

FFP2 or FFP3 masks are said to offer the best protection against the coronavirus. They shield the wearer and those nearby from larger particles found in the mouth and nose, called droplets, and from smaller particles called aerosols, the institute says. KN95 or N95 provide the same protection.

n95 mask
n95 mask

Particles can travel about 6 feet after theyโ€™ve been exhaled, which is why that has become the social distancing norm to reduce the risk of infection. Aerosols also travel several yards and linger in the air longer than droplets.

Baden-Wuerttemberg allows surgical masks in most public places but requires an FFP2 or KN95/N95 mask in hospitals or care homes.

Those masks are more expensive than surgical masks, which, according to the medical devices institute, protect from droplets and aerosols to a greater extent.

German officials have not been shy in the past about punishing people for breaking the coronavirus rules, which includes what type of mask is acceptable. So don’t be caught in Germany with any mask that has been recommended by the United States CDC.

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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