Shortages of Medical Supplies, Including the N95 Mask Supply
The pandemic has brought a lot of changes to the healthcare industry. From increased patient loads to shortages of medical supplies, many uncertainties are going into the future. One very specific medical supply that has got a lot of press lately is the N95 Mask supply.
The CDC has recommended this particular mask as an effective protective measure against the novel coronavirus. For this reason, the demand for the N95 Mask has skyrocketed in the healthcare, industrial, manufacturing, and general business industries. As with any sort of change in the level of demand, there are always people looking to capitalize. Unfortunately, this is wreaking havoc on the healthcare industry.
Having A Trusted Distributor Is More Important Than Ever Before
As the demand for these masks increases, more companies are trying to create distribution contracts with medical, industrial, manufacturing, and other business customers. Regrettably, not all of these distributors have the best interests of the end-users in mind. Many facilities don’t check to verify the legitimacy of these masks from unreputable distributors.
SPH Medical has been working with Makrite Industries, a company producing NIOSH N95 Masks and other similar products, for over 30 years. We are a legitimate global distributor that works directly with our supplier to bring healthcare, industrial, and manufacturing companies quality masks. Currently, the Makrite N95 Mask is our most popular selling respirator.
The Makrite Model 9500-N95 Respirator
The Makrite model 9500-N95 respirator is a vital piece of safety equipment for healthcare workers and other essential workers across the world. This mask has been in shortage since the coronavirus pandemic showed up earlier this year. Many suppliers have created and instituted scaling plans to produce more masks at higher production rates than ever before.
Unfortunately, this scaling takes time to implement. What was once thought of as a disposal mask that was to be thrown away after each patient interaction has become an all-day form of protection. Many healthcare facilities are still facing major shortages that require their staff members to use the same disposal mask for multiple patients. Some have been even instructed to keep using the mask until it’s visibly dirty or broken.
No Defense Production Act Order
As the COVID-19 pandemic was hitting record numbers, President Trump utilized the Defense Production Act to remedy the nation’s shortage of ventilators. This Defense Production Act allows the President to order companies to manufacture products that are in short supply. The pre-pandemic ventilator manufacturers shared their trade secrets with these new manufacturers in an effort to enhance the supply of ventilators.
Since the Defense Production Act worked to eliminate the shortage of ventilators, many believe it should be used to remedy the NIOSH N95 Mask supply shortage. However, so far, President Trump has not enacted the Act. Rather, his party has overseen the scaling up of major mask manufacturers. As of right now, it doesn’t look like President Trump will be enacting the Defense Production Act for the production of N95 masks.
The Makrite 910-N95FMX Respirator
The Makrite 910-N95FMX respirator is the newest innovation in the Makrite N95 Mask technology. This mask provides an excellent level of both protection and comfort for its wearer. Sealed with a Surgical Rating, the 910-N95FMX is a must-have for healthcare professional and frontline workers.
NIOSH certification requires that a mask undergo specific tests to ensure it conforms to the NIOSH standards outlined. Nelson Labs performs a variety of precertification tests, including valve leak, inhalation/exhalation, Dioctyl Phthalate (DOP), and Sodium Chloride Aerosol Challenge (NaCl) testing. NIOSH reviews these test results and provides the NIOSH N95 mask certification upon the mask meeting proper testing measures.
The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) is the agency that certifies a particular mask for surgical use. Masks cleared by the FDA show that they demonstrate flame resistance and an adequate level of fluid resistance. Both of these are considered highly important in the healthcare industry and in surgical settings.
N95 Mask Supply Summary
The future of the adequate amount of quality N95 mask supply is still uncertain for the general public and the healthcare industry. It’s now more important than ever before to be careful when selecting your mask distributor as many new distributors with less than quality products are trying to capitalize on this health crisis. SPH Medical is a trustworthy distributor who works directly with the Makrite manufacturer to ensure that healthcare professionals only receive quality N95 masks.