N95/KN95 masks you can buy online include, top, from WellBefore.com, BYD Care, $2.25 each; middle, from N95MedicalSupplies.com, pack of 20, $54.99; bottom left, pack of 25 from Home Depot, $41.97; and bottom right, Powecom KN95 masks, pack of 10, $11.50, from BonaFideMasks.com.

On Tuesday, Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf issued a mandate making the wearing of face masks mandatory for all students and staff at all schools in the state effective Sept. 7.

With the number of cases of newly diagnosed people with COVID-19 rising because of the Delta variant, you may be considering using the more effective N95 face mask rather than a cloth mask.

What is an N95 mask? Is it different from a KN95 mask?

In its most simple form, the N95 respirator masks are regulated in the U.S. by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The KN95 masks are regulated by the Chinese government.

N95 masks fit tighter around the face so as to not allow air in around the edges. The KN95 masks have a looser fit. N95 masks, according to the CDC, “filters at least 95% of airborne particles but [are] not resistant to oil-based particles.” You can find more information about N95 masks from the CDC here.

Masks that are approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health will be marked with the NIOSH number.

Here are places where you can buy N95 masks:

DemeTECH N95 respirator mask, foldable, made in the U.S., are $55 for a box of 20 from Amazon.

Powecom KN95′s are not authorized for health care workers but are appropriate for other consumers.

At wellbefore.com, shoppers can buy masks one at a time or in a quantity of their own choosing. The company also sells masks specifically for kids.

Americhem is a company based in Middletown. Masks can be purchased there, 1401 AIP Drive.

Customers can call, 717-939-7100 or send an email to orders@americhem.net.

The Kimberly-Clark N95 pouch respirator masks are $39.25 for a box of 50 on Amazon. The bottom masks are $10 for a pack of 10 from Americhem International.

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