Including KN95 Respirators from China When a respirator has been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the user can be confident that the device will provide the expected level of protection, as long as it fits properly and is worn correctly.
But when there is a shortage of NIOSH-approved filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), as we are experiencing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, other reliable options must be found.
When possible, NIOSH recommends the use of reusable elastomeric respirators and powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) as alternatives to FFRs.