KN95 masks given out by Manitoba government aren't expired, it's a printing error, province says

The Manitoba government blames a printing error for making it appear the free KN95 face masks it is giving out have already expired.

A number of people took to social media on Wednesday — the first day masks became available at some Liquor Marts and casinos in Winnipeg — to say the expiration date had passed.

Over time, the chemicals and ingredients within the masks begin to break down and can irritate skin.

The boxes were stamped with a production date of May 24, 2020, and a notice that the storage life is one year.

However, that date is wrong, a provincial government spokesperson said in an email to CBC News.

"The manufacture has stated that all KN95 masks are good for three years after the production or manufacture date. The box had a printing error which states one year," the email stated.

The spokesperson also provided a link to the distributor's website, where information about the misprint and proper expiration is noted.

"All batches made in 2020 made a printing mistake. On the packaging, it states that expiration is one year only. It's false and we are trying to correct all the packaging for our newer 2021 batch," the website states.

"All the Arun KN95 masks are valid for three years, starting from the production date."

Beyond the three-year mark, the amount of static electricity on the filter layer will be ineffective, it notes.

"We do not recommend storing the mask for more than three years, whether you open the package or not."

At the Liquor Mart on Portage Avenue near Cavalier Road, some customers were frustrated when they showed up to get the masks, only to be told the store didn't have any.

"They don't know when the masks are going to get here. They said they will just show up, so you could be here for a while," said Cindy Schambers.

The province has doled out expired masks before. While the latest case was a false alarm, the government was forced in November 2020 to recall masks it had distributed to school divisions.

Those masks had been in storage for more than a decade after being purchased for protection against H1N1 in 2009.

Some staff members developed rashes from wearing them while the province also received a few reports of a strong chemical odour.

The Manitoba Child Care Association said some child-care centres had also received the same expired masks from the province.

Manitoba government makes KN95 masks available, if you can find them

3 years ago

Duration 1:49

The province started handing out KN95 face masks to anyone who wanted one at Liquor Marts and Casinos. But some who got the masks were surprised to see outdated expiry dates on the boxes. The province said the masks are fine, but trying to get one is another issue.