US plans to give children access to high-quality masks, adviser says

Which face mask protects you best in closed places?

0:55

(CNN) -

High-quality masks for children could soon be easier to find in the United States, if the government's plans go through.

• State mask mandates are disappearing, but should you keep wearing them anyway?

The US government plans to now make high-quality masks available to children, too, and "that process is underway," said Dr. Tom Inglesby, senior adviser to the COVID-19 Response Team at the U.S. White House, to CNN this Wednesday.

The move appears to be an extension of the White House's ongoing effort to distribute 400 million free N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile for public access at pharmacies and community health centers across the country.

“230 million masks have already been delivered to pharmacies and community health centers as part of the administration's efforts to provide high-quality masks across the country.

And that process will continue,” Inglesby added during a virtual briefing at the White House on Wednesday.

“We are now in the process of planning the distribution of masks for children.

And we will have more information about it in the coming days, ”she completed.

"But there is a commitment to do it."

advertising

We explain how to get free N95 masks in the US 2:14

In January, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance on masks and respirators to recommend that everyone over the age of 2 "wear the mask more protection that they can, that fits them well and that they will wear constantly.

The agency also noted that "some masks and respirators offer higher levels of protection than others."

The CDC said that well-fitting masks approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - such as N95 masks - offer "the highest level of protection."

Although NIOSH-approved N95 respirators are available in smaller sizes, the CDC notes that they are generally designed for use by adults in their workplaces.

In that sense, they indicate they have not been tested for widespread use in children.

So, high-quality child-sized masks can be hard to find.

• So you can get free N95 masks at pharmacies or community health centers in the United States

Having face protection can be especially important for children, as many between the ages of 5 and 11 are not yet vaccinated.

In addition, there is no licensed covid-19 vaccine for children under 5 years of age.

The difference between N95, KN95 and KF94 masks

There are three types of face coverings, or high-quality masks, that are considered to offer the highest level of protection: N95, KN95 and KF94.

The difference between N95 and KN95 masks is where each one is certified.

The US tests, certifies, and regulates the N95 masks that public health experts have been recommending.

Meanwhile, manufacturers in China test KN95s, but the Chinese government has no regulatory body to validate them.

• How long you can wear your N95 mask, according to experts

Approximately 60% of the KN95 respirators that NIOSH tested during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 did not meet the necessary requirements, according to the CDC.

N95 and KN95 masks are designed to be at least 95% efficient at filtering particulates.

But N95s have headbands due to more stringent face seal requirements.

KF94 are standard Korean masks tested and regulated by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

And they are designed to be at least 94% efficient at filtering particulates.

"The problem in the US is that we don't have a standard respirator for children. We only have the NIOSH series of masks, the lowest is the N95, and they are not designed for children," Aaron Collins told CNN on Wednesday.

Collins, a Minneapolis mechanical engineer with a background in aerosol science, has been testing and evaluating masks.

He said that he has asked the US government to make high-quality masks available for adults and children since the early days of the pandemic.

New CDC update on masks 0:58

“In terms of supply, they have been very tight. There are options in KN95, which is the proven standard for Chinese masks, and KF94, which is the standard for masks for the general public in South Korea,” Collins said.

She added that she would be interested to see what kinds of high-quality masks the US government plans to make available to children.

Overall, "I think it's great," he said of the government's plan.

"The question for me is, what kind of masks will they distribute?"

Parents struggle to find high-quality face masks for children

Dr. Vivek Cherian knows firsthand the need for high-quality masks for young children and the difficulty of finding them.

• What type of mask should be used and for how long?

  An expert explains

"Two of my kids are 2-4 years old – right there – and I absolutely think they're necessary because, for example, every time my wife and I find a good mask, it's constantly out of stock or they're constantly going in and out of stock," said Cherian, a Chicago-based internal medicine doctor and father of three.

His third child, 7 months old, is too young to wear a mask.

“As a parent, I have run into this problem several times trying to get good quality KN95 masks for children that are available,” Cherian told CNN on Wednesday.

And she added that she tends to look for face masks online.

These masks are effective against omicron 0:49

“When it comes to children especially, you want to find a mask that is really comfortable and fits well. So that it completely covers the nose and mouth and there are no gaps. Because when there are gaps, that is when the air leaks too," Cherian said.

"And that's also one of the main reasons, aside from the leaking issue, why surgical masks aren't as effective, because there tends to be a lot of gaps when you wear regular surgical masks."

Cherian is awaiting possible plans from the US government to provide high-quality masks for children, he said.

"We should be doing our best job to give them the best masks possible," he said.

"And if they're not eligible for vaccines right now, to make sure we surround those kids with adults and teachers who are fully vaccinated."

White HouseCovid-19masksChildren