Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, N95 masks have turned into a regular necessity. These masks are specifically designed to eliminate 95% of airborne particles, which include viruses and bacteria.

Minnesota-based 3M still ships millions of respirators, though health care is not the major market it briefly was.

Federal officials still wanted to reserve surgical masks and N95 masks for frontline health care workers. States then began introducing requirements that individuals wear face coverings in public.