One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States finds itself with many millions of N95 masks pouring out of factories and heading into storageMike Bowen’s warehouse outside Fort Worth, Texas, was piled high with cases of medical-grade N95 face masks. One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, many millions of N95 masks are pouring out of American factories and heading into storage. Before the pandemic tore through the U.S., the demand for N95 masks was 1.7 billion per year, with 80% going to industrial uses and 20% into medical, trade groups say. In 2021, demand for N95 masks for medical use is estimated by industry sources to be 5.7 billion. ———As the coronavirus spread through spring and summer, demand for N95 masks surged to unprecedented levels and the respirators disappeared from stockpiles and distributors’ shelves.

Source: ABC News February 16, 2021 05:26 UTC