UCA has been distributing expired KN95 masks to faculty and staff, as many masks show an expiration date of April 29, 2022, or Aug. 5, 2022.
The expiration date can be found on the product certificate inside the five-pack bag of Dr. Family KN95 masks, which are supplied to employees who request them.
Even as UCA has relaxed COVID-19 precautions since the spring semester, “The UCA Student Health Center monitors the quality and condition of the KN95 masks and the three-ply, nonwoven surgical masks on a weekly basis. Although some of these masks are beyond the manufacturer’s assigned expiration date, we find that they are still in excellent condition and should still provide the protection expected of each mask,” UCA Student Health Clinic Medical Director Randy Pastor said.
The Echo did a random survey of buildings on campus and found expired masks at the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Education, Schedler Honors College, the College of Business, the Student Health Center, Buffalo Alumni Hall, student services, admissions, the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office, international engagement, the history department, the biology department and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Stephen Addison explained that one can check the integrity of the ear straps on face masks by taking a one-inch section of the strap and stretching it. If the section of the strap returns to its original length then the mask should be acceptable to use. If the mask has been stored correctly, the straps should not face any expiration, he said.
The New York Times states that the components expiring in the KN95 masks are “the elastomeric materials in the straps and the components that hold them in place” which are “even likelier to deteriorate.”
UCA’s director of procurement and travel services, Cassandra McCuien-Smith, said the procurement office orders KN95 masks for campus use and approximately 92,625 masks have been ordered. “There has been a decrease” in orders for masks now that the pandemic has declined. “There is no set reordering date” for masks as “orders are placed on an as-needed basis,” McCuien-Smith said.
McCuien-Smith also went into detail on the distribution process of KN95 masks and other personal protective equipment supplies on campus.
“The UCA department or organization will fill out the PPE Supply Request Form located on the UCA Procurement website. Once all required approvals are obtained, the form is emailed or hand delivered to the UCA Physical Plant Warehouse. The UCA department or organization will either pick up the KN95 masks from the Physical Plant or they will hand-deliver the KN95 masks,” McCuien-Smith said.
The New York Times discussed how to guarantee that a mask is authentic and safe to use in an article that was published on May 26.
The New York Times said, “A legitimate KN95 should also be stamped with text, including the
name of the manufacturer, the model and ‘GB2626-2019,’ which is a reference to a quality control standard approved by the Chinese government.
The article says “the package will also have an expiration date and a lot number printed on it.” All electrostatic-charged masks will have an expiration date.
These identification numbers can be easily found and should show the authenticity of the mask, including the expiration date.
Pastor said “the UCA Pandemic Planning Planning and Response Team was first formed in March 2020,” in response to COVID-19. “Key personnel was added over the next 12 months as the pandemic evolved,” Pastor said.
Those who make the determination of mask distribution around campus are “discussed in the Pandemic Planning Team meetings and all requests or concerns are addressed during these meetings to make sure the campus’s needs are being met,” Pastor said.
“Every individual should always feel comfortable with the level of PPE that they use and some may choose not to use a mask beyond the assigned expiration date. This is the responsibility of each individual and is why it’s called ‘personal’ protective equipment,” Pastor said.