Readers need to be clear on the terminology. OSHA/NIOSH are consistent. The media and most others are not. The cloth and blue things people wear are masks, not respirators. N95’s are respirators. Things with cartridges on them are respirators. NIOSH does not certify surgical masks. They do certify respirators. KN95s fall into a grey zone since they are intended to be respirators, but not certified by NIOSH.
the article is misleading. It insinuates that an N-95 respirator would NOT be effective in protecting you from asbestos or the virus.
A respirator would need to be fitted.
The things they call respirators are not respirators. Operators operate, motivators motivate. The suffix -or is active, as in something that does something. The things called respirators do not respirate, they filter. I refuse to use the term in that way. Protect our language.