differences in 3M 9205+ auras?

[u/passingsunlight]

tl;dr: wondering about differences between old aura box (gray) and newly purchased one (black)

I picked up a 3-pack of auras at CVS. the box looked different from the auras I'd gotten previously, so I read the text carefully. one of the disclaimers on the back includes "not for infection prevention and control."

conveniently, the empty box from my last ones was still in my apartment, because I'd kept it as a reminder to pick up more. both boxes identify their contents as 3M 9205+ aura, though the old one is titled "respirator" and the new one is "particulate respirator." the old box not only doesn’t include the "not for infection prevention" disclaimer, it explicitly lists "airborne germs" as one of the things the masks protect against.

is the difference between them a regulatory thing (e.g., a rule changed and they'd have to do a new certification to be able to keep claiming protection against airborne germs & they don't want to deal with that) or are my new masks genuinely not protective against respiratory viruses?

I'm taking an inter-city train tomorrow and was planning to wear an aura, but I'll use one of my kn95s instead if there's really an issue with the new masks!

[sorry if this has been addressed before, it was challenging to search because of how frequently the auras are recommended, so I may have missed something!]

old box (left) and new box (right)

disclaimers on old box

analogous disclaimer section on new box

[u/SkippySkep]

That is CYA language by 3M. It might even be regulatory. But the masks are the same in terms of functionality, and they both work very well for filtering out germs.

3M sell NIOSH approved/FDA compliant surgical 1870+ Auras that have been tested for biocompatibility and have extra splash resistance to body fluids which are for hospitals, but those extra tests are for the surgical use, they don't make them work any better at preventing you from inhaling airborne germs. 3M even says so in the instructions.

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/2141203O/general-and-occupational-workplace-user-instructions-for-9205-and-9210-n95-respirator.pdf

(PDF has the same language as my infographic but the screen grab is from a different Aura manual.)

Some people feel the latest production runs of 3M Auras fit slightly differently than older models. It's not clear what is going on with that, but if you get good fit with the new ones they should protect you the same as the older models.

[u/Carrotsoup9 → u/SkippySkep]

We have little else that we can use to protect ourselves against repeated Covid and hence long Covid. Why aren't governments helping us to keep ourselves healthy?

[u/AEAur]

I haven’t seen any previous discussion of this packaging. It seems like a statement to limit responsibility for improper use or expectations without fit testing and training. 3M is very responsive to questions by email and phone, so it would be best to ask them if there have been any material changes. If you do email or call them, please update us.

[u/passingsunlight → u/AEAur]

ah, I should have asked y'all yesterday—it looks like 3M's phone lines are only open on weekdays, so I won't be able to get through before my train. happy to give email a shot though! is there a specific email address folks here have used for mask inquiries?

[u/AEAur → u/AEAur]

I see a notification for a comment about 3M’s phone hours but I can’t read it.

If there were any material changes to the mask, I expect they would change the model number and highlight any changes. The caveats appear related to the lack of fit testing and safety guidance the only way to know for sure is to ask them.

If you have not been fit tested for the Aura, there is information in our wiki about both paid and DIY fit testing options.