Where Can I Find N95s?
Wearing any mask is better than not wearing a mask.
Access to high-quality masks is an important equity issue. Mask blocs worldwide distribute masks. If you need masks, ask your local mask bloc. If you are able, consider donating to mask blocs to improve access. Manufacturers, please donate masks.
A worldwide directory of mask blocs can be accessed here. A COVID Action Map, showing the locations of mask blocs, advocacy groups, clean-air groups, and community groups, can be accessed here.
At MaskEvidence.org, we are working to curate information on better reusable masks, recognizing that many don't have access to, or can't afford, respirators (N95, CaN95, CaN99, FFP3). However, we recommend that people wear the best mask available.
The best mask is a respirator - N95, CaN95, CaN99, FFP3. This page links to curated lists of reliable respirator manufacturers. We recommend choosing a design with overhead elastic for a better fit.
Canada Strong has a size guide for Canadian masks, here.
Worldwide: Mask bloc directory here
North America
Project N95 (US) operated as a non-profit shop, which is now closed. However, their guide to masks and respirators is still available.
Children: Project N95 has a children’s collection. This March 2024 article identifies masks for children in the US. United States Mask has a mask with a high-quality filter and overhead elastic, like an N95, in a child’s size. This is made with the same materials and processes as their NIOSH-certified N95. NIOSH is concerned with workplace safety and therefore doesn’t certify children’s masks. Aaron Collins (@masknerd) reviewed their data here (sorry, this is a Twitter link). Very young children and children who can’t remove their own mask shouldn’t wear overhead elastic.
Canada
The Canadian Association of PPE Manufacturers, CAPPEM, curates a list of Canadian-made PPE.
Canada Strong (Canada) supplies masks from Canadian PPE manufacturers including masks for children and a black CAN99-certified, Canadian-made respirator.
Donate a Mask, ‘a bunch of cool people on a mission to help make masks more accessible using the power of Open Source’, supplies free N95s and Covid test kits on request. To request masks, click here. To make a donation so that others can have free masks, click here.
Children: Masks4Canada has a section on their tip sheet for children’s masks. See also US, children, above.
What about supply issues and cost?
Mask blocs around the world work to address equity issues by distributing high-quality masks and respirators. A searchable directory can be found here.
In North America, and likely elsewhere, the supply of respirators is more than adequate to meet the needs of frontline workers. People should have no hesitation, if they have the resources, in purchasing respirators for personal use in the community. If cost or availability is an issue, we recommend practicing extended use.
If you are in Canada, see ‘Donate a Mask’ above.
What if I can’t obtain N95s?
This page summarizes what we know about aerosol filtration from different kinds of masks, using data from multiple studies. This page summarizes our own study where we directly compared aerosol filtration for different masks and respirators on the same volunteers. Both sets of evidence include details on how to get the best from cloth and non-fitted disposable masks. There are lots of options, also described on our page on mask hacks.
Contact us if you have information that we should add to this page: