The renewed surge in coronavirus cases across much of the U.S. is undermining efforts hospitals and manufacturers made in recent months to provide enough N95 masks to front-line workers.
Emergency responders and health-care workers from California to Florida are using more protective equipment and N95s—which block 95% of very small particles, including droplets containing the virus—as hospitalizations related to Covid-19 climb. At the same time, as restrictions on business have been lifted, factories and construction sites are getting back to work, adding demand from workers that wear N95 masks to protect against noxious fumes and compounds.
The supply picture varies drastically from state to state.
Many local officials have made progress in stocking up since the early days of the pandemic and hospitals are also building up stockpiles.
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