With the Omicron variant accounting for 98.3 percent of new COVID cases in the U.S., many are seeking more protective masks. Here is a guide to spotting fakes.

A shipment carrying almost $350,000 worth of fake N95 masks was seized at the Houston Seaport. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the shipment came from China and was headed to New ...

Dr. Michael Chang, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with UTHealth, said the N95 mask is certified and tested in the U.S. Meanwhile, the KN95 mask is certified by the Chinese government.

If a N95 masks has ear loops instead of headbands that’s a red flag. Only KN95 and Korean-made KF94′s use ear loops. If the mask has no markings on it at all then it’s likely fake. Check for ...

Since the start of the pandemic, Customs and Border Patrol has seized more than 34 million counterfeit masks, and nearly 60% of the counterfeits were seized in 2021, according to the FDA.

If you take one of those masks out I can tell you if it's real or not," Carothers said, pointing out the KN95 mask 13News showed her. "You have to look on the side of the mask.

No N95 mask has been approved for children, so any mask that claims to be an N95 for kids is a fake. However, N95s do come in S/M sizes that might work for some older children.