Expert warns: 80 percent of facemasks useless in preventing the spread of COVID
- Written by Scott Huntsman, founder and head of ALL-CAST PPE Supplies
As COVID-19 restrictions become a standard in society, and lockdowns ease to fewer and far between, a general precedent has been set in most areas of the country that facemasks are the new normal. However, there is serious cause for concern with countless facemasks stocked on Aussie shelves not meeting the TGA’s minimum requirements for medical status and printing fabricated claims on their packaging.
“When consumers see a facemask for sale, their understanding is that it will help to prevent the transmission of diseases such as COVID-19, but majority simply will not,” ALL-CAST PPE co-founder and general manager, Scott Huntsman said.
“Up to 80 percent of facemasks on the market in Australia today do not have the antiviral or correct filtration with a fluid-resistant barrier that medical-grade masks in Australia are required to have in order to make anti-viral claims.
“It is not just dodgy curb-side vendors and eBay sellers that are marketing these knock-off facemasks. Just last week I was at a reputable petrol station chain where I saw a pack of facemasks selling for $12.95 with labelling that used the terms ‘protects against COVID-19’, ‘stops the spread of diseases’, and ‘95 percent filtration guarantee’.
“These masks were a Chinese-based product wrapped in cheap plastic, did not have TGA endorsement and would not have cost more than 50 cents for their manufacturer to produce, however, to someone without a background in personal protective equipment (PPE) production they could have easily been passed off as the real deal.”
According to Huntsman, there could be situations where people who are immunosuppressed or in a high-risk group for viruses, such as COVID-19, are put in unknowingly dangerous situations because the facemasks they’re wearing are useless in protecting them against the spread of disease.
“Our most vulnerable members of society need everyone to take safety measures, including wearing medical-grade facemasks, to keep them safe, and we’re unable to do that if the PPE supplies in our local stores are counterfeit,” Huntsman emphasised.
ALL-CAST PPE Supplies is an Australian family-owned manufacturer of AS4381-2015 Level 3 medical masks, the highest level of protection with maximum barrier control. ALL-CAST PPE Supplies prides itself on its high technology processes and top performance products that protect its customers. ALL-CAST PPE Supplies’ products are produced to the highest quality and strictest standards to meet and exceed the requirements of a TGA registered medical device. The business’ premier product is its Ear Loop mask, which is sold in packs of 50. These masks feature a safe and reliable three-layer structure, with the central filter layer comprising of spun polypropylene.
“The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), is responsible for determining what classifies as a medical device in Australia, which they list in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG),” Huntsman explained.
“They state that any non-sterile facemasks that are intended by their manufacturer to prevent the transmission of diseases are categorised as a medical device. Facemasks, therefore, must be included in the ARTG if the manufacturer’s labelling, advertising, or documentation contains the claims of preventing the transmission of diseases between people, or that the mask is suitable for therapeutic uses such as surgical, clinical or medical use.
“Masks can be legally sold in Australia without TGA approval, but they are forbidden from making unsubstantiated claims that could mislead a consumer, such as being ‘medical grade’, ‘anti-viral’, or ‘protects against disease’. The problem is that there are products that are slipping through the cracks and posing as legitimate medical-grade facemasks when they do not meet the high standards of the TGA.
“The other problem is that people assume that every mask for sale whether it be in a grocery store, chemist or petrol station will protect against the transmission of COVID. Sadly 80 percent won't. We need more awareness and education in relation to labelling to help consumers make informed choices. These are not just any choices, they are choices involving life and death.”
According to Huntsman, there are a number of things that consumers can look out for in order to ensure they are buying genuine medical-grade facemasks in Australia.
- Read packaging. Terms such as ‘surgical’ and ‘Level 3’ indicate that the manufacturer understands the metrics that are used to differentiate medical-grade masks. Surgical, or Level 3 facemasks provide wearers with maximum barrier protection, and therefore offer the highest level of protection to prevent the spread of disease.
- Buy from trusted suppliers. There are a number of reputable companies that you can trust to supply you with the highest quality, medical-grade facemasks. Companies, such as ALL-CAST PPE Supplies, produce their masks at a high scale, have been recognised for their exceptional standards of practice, and their products are listed in the ARTG.
- Look for Australian-made. Products that are Australian made are often more likely to be listed in the ARTG, are scrutinised and taken off the market if they fail to produce a quality product or are labelling their product with misleading claims.
- Check the ARTG. Anyone can view the information on the ARTG, which includes a list of every manufacturer that is included on the register. If you’re ever unsure of the validity of a facemask manufacturer you can jump online to see if the product and manufacturer are legitimate.
“Don’t assume just because you purchase a mask or masks from a reputable retailer that the masks are going to prevent the spread of COVID. Do your research, check the labelling and look up the ARTG,” Huntsman said.
“80 percent of masks currently for sale will not stop the spread of disease. If we are serious as a nation about keeping our people safe, we need to do more to help educate people and ensure they have access to masks that will prevent the spread of COVID.”
ALL-CAST PPE Supplies’ goal is to achieve reliable protection for everyone who wears its masks. The business is Australian owned, Iso certified, Nelson laboratory testing approved, has an Australian Made official license and is listed in the ARTG. They also offer the highest speed manufacturing of Level 3 surgical tie back and Ear Loop masks, with the capacity to increase its production to over 2.5 billion earloop masks a year.
Daily Bulletin
