In the supermarket, at the doctor, on the bus and train: FFP2 masks are now mandatory in Bavaria.
The needy received five of these masks free of charge from the Free State - but among them were apparently counterfeit goods.
Many counties made FFP2 masks available to those in need immediately and free of charge after they were claimed to be mandatory.
The masks were then handed out in an uncomplicated manner via social institutions such as the food banks.
Now that a person in need has noticed that his masks are fake, the individual authorities reject any guilt.
Munich - The Bavarian state government has had 2.5 million FFP2 masks distributed to those in need since mid-January.
For example, homeless people, people visiting the food bank and those receiving basic security were given five masks free of charge per person, as these are otherwise quite expensive to buy - especially after the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) announced that FFP2 would be shopping from January 18, at the doctor's and on public transport to the mandatory standard.
The free masks were distributed throughout the state via the districts, the Munich social department and the Bavarian Red Cross.
Board operators or workshops for the disabled, for example, then passed them on to those in need.
The Bavarian Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) emphasized at the time that they didn't want to leave anyone out in the rain.
He also explained that masks with the identifier “KN95” are also permitted, as their protection standard is considered to be equivalent to the FFP2 category.
The
Süddeutsche Zeitung
now reports about a person in need who was apparently given extremely questionable free masks.
What is the difference between the "real" FFP2 mask and counterfeit goods?
The
SZ
calls its informant
Peter Taler: The Munich resident ran his own business until the Corona crisis - now he is apparently receiving basic security or other social assistance, which is why he was entitled to the five free masks.
But Taler clearly considers them to be forgeries.
And as the
SZ
reports, it is actually not evident from his masks whether they are suitable goods.
At least according to the trade supervisory authority, they should not be sold because they are labeled “not allowed” and “not in accordance with the requirements”.
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The left mask is fake, the right one is real - but how do you recognize the dizziness?
© Michael Weber / imago images
But how do you even recognize fake or "real" FFP2 masks?
On the one hand, the CE marking is of great importance.
A four-digit number also indicates which test center has approved the mask as "conforming to European standards".
In Europe, masks without these marks may not be sold as FFP2 masks.
Until September 2020, masks of the Chinese “KN95” standard could still be sold without the CE mark, as there were not enough certified FFP2 masks in Germany before.
After a quick test, they could then be approved by the test center as "CPA masks".
This procedure is currently no longer permitted, but dealers are still allowed to sell their remaining masks - provided they also identify them as "CPA masks" and enclose a copy of the official confirmation.
The crux of the matter: Some of the masks distributed by the Free State of Bavaria apparently lacked this label, which left their recipients confused.
Video: FFP2 mask requirement in Bavaria - you have to know that!
Taler is also confused: As the
SZ
further reports, there is a “KN95” stamp on its five masks, but neither a CPA mark nor a CE seal - and yet the Chinese manufacturer apparently sells them as an FFP2 mask.
According to the information provided by the trade office, it is also inadmissible to provide them with the European “EN149” in addition to the Chinese test standard “GB2626”.
Taler feels "fooled", it says in the
SZ
report, because the unsuitable masks - all presumably remaining stocks - are ultimately a risk: Whoever wears them feels safe and perhaps pays less attention to the necessary minimum distance, according to Taler.
FFP2 masks: Counterfeit but at least free of charge - authorities deny guilt
How many needy people in and around Munich were actually given this type of mask - and above all from whom they originally came - remains
unclear
, according to the
SZ
.
At the request of the newspaper, the Ministry of Health only announced that since January 19, only FFP2 masks from the pandemic central warehouse had been distributed to those in need and that it could therefore be ruled out that Taler's KN95 masks came from this current delivery ”.
However, it is possible that districts and municipalities have also distributed their own older collections that they had previously received from the Free State - including "KN95" masks.
The Munich social department, however, assured
SZ
, that was not the case: they only distributed what the Ministry of Health had delivered.
They just organized the logistics, but didn't check the masks any further.
The State Office for Public Health had done this in advance using random samples and assessed it as proper.
So many more of the masks that have been given out to those in need over the past few weeks could be free, but fake. The guidelines above can be used to check whether or not you have received the wrong goods. Those affected should definitely get reliable FFP2 masks, as the free masks probably do not protect against the corona virus * as reliably as they should.
(cos) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital network.