The Department of Homeland Security issued a fraud alert Friday to the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), claiming that 40 hospitals across the state could have received fake masks as part of a shipment. of 2 million masks that arrived in December, WSHA president and CEO Cassie Sauer told CNN Monday.
The hospital association alerted all 40 hospitals, but many of the masks had already been used, Sauer said.
“They look, feel, fit and smell like a 3M mask,” Sauer said.
According to the association, the masks were purchased by hospitals and WSHA to distribute to its members. More than a million dollars were spent on the purchase.
The hospital partnership is meeting with DHS and 3M to determine possible next steps. DHS was warned directly by 3M, the manufacturers of the masks.
It is not known if fakes are as effective as a real N95 mask. However, Sauer said they have not seen an increase in Covid-19 cases in hospitals that have used them.
In a statement to CNN, 3M says it has been working with “police and customs agencies to prevent the sale and manufacture” of fake masks. The company said it has launched a “global effort to combat fraud, counterfeiting and price reduction to help protect the public from those trying to exploit the demand for 3M critical products during a pandemic.”
It was confirmed that the N95 respirators were “purchased from distributors unrelated to 3M” and “were not genuine 3M products,” according to the company statement.
The company “recommends purchasing our products only from an authorized 3M dealer.”
Sauer declined to say where the association bought the masks, but that it was from a distributor the association uses frequently.
The filter works by trapping neutral particles such as bacteria and viruses before passing through the mask, protecting the wearer and those around him. It’s similar to how socks can be attached to a blanket in the dryer. The N95 mask also fits snugly on the face, eliminating most of the leaks that can occur with a cloth or paper mask.