You could be wearing a counterfeit face mask. Here are two easy ways to tell.
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the surgical mask has become a daily essential for everyday life.
Whether you're going for a casual grocery run or your annual health checkup, your face mask is basically an extension of your body.
Face masks also come in all shapes and sizes. In a sense, the multitude of designs allows us to let our own personalities shine through.
But there's a silent threat to our safety against the coronavirus – counterfeit face masks.
Counterfeiters are getting good.
They can reproduce the look and feel of real face masks, but without the inherent protection they offer.
This means they can keep production costs low, while raking in high profits under the pretence of selling real masks.
So, you just bought a face mask (or a whole box of them). Now you're worried about it possibly being fake, even when you paid quite the premium for it.
Say no more.
There are two ways to tell whether the face mask you bought is authentic and will afford you all the protection you need against infection, or a downright counterfeit, giving you a dangerously false sense of security.
All you need is a lighter and you're all set.
1. Burn your mask and pay attention to what happens to it.Now, before you go blasting me, hear me out.
Authentic 3-ply surgical masks are made of various types of plastics, such as polythene and polypropylene. Once in contact with fire, authentic masks will melt, while fake masks will start to catch fire, much like paper. Counterfeits will also produce sparks.
2. With the surgical mask on, try to blow out the flame on your lit lighter.
Obviously, not all of us can afford to simply burn a face mask to test for authenticity.
But don't worry, this method doesn't require any burning, but it does involve your lighter's flame.
All you need to do is hold the lighter flame in front of your mask and try to blow it out. If you successfully, put out the flame with your mask on, then you've got a dud. Just get rid of it.
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