(NPR) Why N95 Masks Are Still In Short Supply In The U.S.

Why N95 Masks Are Still In Short Supply In The U.S.








A health worker holds an N95 respirator in the emergency room at OakBend Medical Center in Richmond, Texas, in July. N95s are tested and approved by a federal agency as having demonstrated that they can filter out a minimum of 95% of airborne particles.



Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images


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Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images











Why N95 Masks Are Still In Short Supply In The U.S.






Early in the pandemic, shortages of N95 respirators and other medical gear prompted panic across the world. A year later, the masks still aren't widely available to U.S. consumers.