Mask test: We take a close look at the observer

Alex Hämmerli

31.7.2020

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Thomas Kunz

The consumer magazine "Beobachter" published a test report on masks designed to protect against the coronavirus in its current issue. One product that we sold failed the test completely. However, this is not due to the masks, but to the test procedure.

Big mail from the "Beobachter": In the 31 July 2020 issue, the consumer magazine published a test report as its cover story in which a respiratory mask, of which Galaxus sold around 3,500 packs, completely failed: In a measurement by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), the mask only achieved a filter performance of 87% and 44% respectively for two different particle sizes. The minimum value for KN95 masks would be 95%. The story originated from a joint announcement by the BfU and SUVA, according to which more than 60 per cent of respiratory masks sold in Switzerland do not offer sufficient protection.

The scathing criticism of us: "The online retailer sold masks from China for months, which are obviously rubbish," writes the editor. And further: "Galaxus promised a certified protective effect that doesn't exist. Anyone who buys this mask can only hope not to encounter infected people."

The catch is that the FHNW used a new, self-developed method for the mask test that does not comply with international standards for testing respiratory masks: Both the experts from the BfU as the office responsible for the approval of respiratory masks and the Migros laboratory SQTS criticise the fact that the FHNW did not follow the prescribed EU standard EN149 or similar internationally recognised procedures. This means that the test loses all of its significance.

You can find the FHNW test report in this and information on the self-developed test procedure in this document.

Three times tested, three times passed

And it gets even worse: Three independent tests by the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance IFA (test report dated 26 March 2020), the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC (test report dated 22 June 2020) and the Migros test laboratory SQTS (test report dated 29 July 2020) come after the test procedures prescribed in their countries concluded that the protective performance of the mask was sufficient. The BfU officially approved its sale in Switzerland on 15 May 2020.

We had commissioned the SQTS test to verify the allegations made by the "Beobachter". Unfortunately, the results of the SQTS were not available to us until one day after the editorial deadline, as the "Beobachter" stuck to the publication date of the cover story despite clear and unambiguous indications from us. The test reports from the IFA and CDC laboratories are, of course, both public and digitally accessible - including to the Beobachter's journalists.

Now the "Beobachter" has backtracked: On the morning of the publication of the printed version, deputy editor-in-chief Martin Vetterli stopped the e-paper. This was after Galaxus subsequently delivered the SQTS test results. The online version now appears with a corresponding note, the article itself has been toned down online and in the e-paper, in particular by deleting the lurid introduction with the unfounded accusations, and there will be a corrigendum in the next printed edition.

However, the FHNW maintains the validity of its results: Professor Ernest Weingartner is quoted in a statement as saying that it is likely that the University of Applied Sciences measures "more accurately" than the industry standard for very small particles. The fact remains that Weingartner's new measurement method is not comparable with the legally required EN149 standard test method.

Interim conclusion: The masks comply with the KN95 standard. There is no increased risk for anyone wearing the mask.

Counterfeit products in circulation

However, in addition to the official, high-quality original respirators, counterfeit models are also apparently in circulation. See CDC website and screenshot here. As a precautionary measure, the CDC has therefore withdrawn the manufacturer's licence for the USA, but not because of a failed test result.

Neither in North America nor anywhere else has a recall campaign been initiated for the mask to date: According to the CDC, all that was needed in the USA was communication and re-labelling to ensure that the potential fake masks were not being used in medical facilities by "frontline healthcare workers".

Our Swiss supplier provided us with a direct link to the manufacturer in China and confirmed that we had purchased original masks and not counterfeits. We have also compared our masks with the CDC report linked above: Date of manufacture, expiry date as well as other identifiers (esp. LOT and GTIN) match the original products.

We can therefore say with a clear conscience that we have not sold our customers any fake masks and therefore no masks with inadequate protection. However, this does not protect us from being publicly criticised by the "Beobachter".

Finally, we would have expected more objective reporting from Switzerland's most widely read magazine.

Update on 6 August 2020

In the original version of this article, we wrote that the "Beobachter" had published fake news. Many people were offended by this term, as it is associated with the crude jargon used by US President Donald Trump. The term also implies that the Beobachter editorial team deliberately distorted the facts in the print edition. We have therefore removed the term from the article and apologise for using rhetorical language.

However, we would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the "Beobachter" story in the print version goes far beyond a sober listing of cleanly researched facts - and that the article contains demonstrably false or misleading information. This also resulted in the substantial correction in the online version of the "Beobachter". The KN95 respirators fully fulfil the requirements of the test standard and have so far been officially approved by the BfU/Seco in accordance with the so-called Swiss Covid19 Ordinance Article 24, paragraph 2 letter c in Switzerland. In this respect, Galaxus has neither sold "junk" nor "plagiarised masks".

We think it is legitimate for the "Beobachter" editorial team and the FHNW experts to question the current mask standards and testing procedures for the coronavirus pandemic. We also have no objection to the FHNW testing masks under stricter conditions. In this article, however, both concerns have been mixed up in such a way that the reader is misled. The end result is an article that has gained nothing for anyone. Rather, it has created even more confusion and ambiguity in a situation that is already difficult to understand.

Alex Hämmerli

Senior Public Relations Manager

Alex.Haemmerli@digitecgalaxus.ch

At Digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.

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