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The Biden administration plans to distribute millions of them to local pharmacies. But is there really any evidence that the same people who were wrong about masks are now suddenly connected to God’s word when it comes to respirators? And who says it is safe for people to wear something like that for long periods of time, which until now required rigorous testing, medical exams, and training? Yes, N95s, unlike masks, actually meet the standard for PPE in hazardous environments. But for which sort of hazard? Not an airborne respiratory virus. Stephen Petty, a certified industrial hygienist and hazardous exposure...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reportedly considering altering its masking guidance to recommend individuals wear “highly protective N95 or KN95 masks,” the Washington Post reported on Monday. Citing an official “close to the deliberations who was not authorized to speak publicly,” the Post reported that the federal health agency is considering the recommendation change in the wake of the highly contagious omicron variant, despite the fact that it appears to be a more mild form of the illness.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Two-time champion Alysa Liu withdrew from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships after testing positive for COVID-19 on Friday, less than a day after a third-place finish in the short program put her in position to make the Olympic team. The 16-year-old Liu is at least the fifth competitor to test positive for the virus in the run-up and during nationals, and the third that was expected to make the team for the Beijing Games. The pairs tandem of Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier dropped out the day before the start of competition when he returned a positive...

MASKS/ KN95 MASKS WITH BIOMASS GRAPHENE (2021-04-08)Report a ConcernStarting date:April 8, 2021Posting date:April 15, 2021Type of communication:Medical Device RecallSubcategory:Medical DeviceHazard classification:Type IISource of recall:Health CanadaIssue:Medical DevicesAudience:Healthcare Professionals, General Public, HospitalsIdentification number:RA-75391 Last updated: 2021-04-15 ReasonAffected productsAffected Products A. MASKS WITH BIOMASS GRAPHENEB. KN95 MASKS WITH BIOMASS GRAPHENEReasonHealth Canada has identified the following class I medical devices from Shandong Shengquan New Materials Co. Ltd, do not meet the manufacturer’s requirements of section 10 to 20 of the Medical Devices Regulations (MDR).There is a potential that wearers could inhale graphene particles from some masks, which may pose health risks.Affected productsA. MASKS WITH...

We all knew this was coming. The same people who were wrong for over a year about the power of surgical masks — at a very painful cost to our children and society — are now seamlessly pivoting to their new position without ever apologizing for their original mistakes. They now want children to wear the even more cruel N95 masks. The twisted irony is that after causing more discomfort and potential medical harms to children, they will still not provide protection against the virus. Like a dog returning to his vomit, Scott Gottleib, a former FDA administrator under Obama,...

(CNN)The surge of Covid-19 fueled by the Delta variant and low vaccination rates is sending the country backward in the pandemic, with hospitalizations reaching wintertime levels. For the first time since February 27, more than 50,000 Covid-19 patients were hospitalized Monday, according to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The 50,625 hospitalizations were more than triple the number from one month ago, when about 16,000 patients were hospitalized. At this point, it might not be possible to reach herd immunity, the director of the National Institutes of Health said. At the current pace of vaccinations, it...

More than a dozen countries on four continents have recently disclosed problems with Chinese-made coronavirus tests and personal protective equipment. The problems range from test kits tainted with the coronavirus to medical garments contaminated with insects. Chinese authorities have refused to take responsibility for the defective equipment ... Slovakian Prime Minister Igor Matovič disclosed that more than a million coronavirus tests supplied by China for a cash payment of €15 million ($16 million) were inaccurate and unable to detect Covid-19. "We have a ton of tests and no use for them," he said. "They should just be thrown straight into...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will no longer block the import of KN95 masks, due to a shortage in personal protective equipment, or PPE, in the United States, an agency official first told Buzzfeed News. The masks have been described as the Chinese equivalent of an N95 mask which U.S. health care workers use to protect themselves from airborne bacteria and viruses. Though they are allowing imports of the KN95 mask, the product is not FDA-approved, meaning those who use it do so without legal protections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has included the KN95 mask...