I know that many people think COVID-19 is “over” and have ditched masks after Dr. Bonnie Henry made the terrible decision to life the mask mandate – putting immunocompromised people especially at risk.
I respect that some people will no longer wear masks, but I’m sticking with them. And I have found what I think is the best mask on the market today and it’s made right here in Burnaby.
Burnaby’s Vitacore Industries Inc. was the first Canadian company to receive Health Canada authorization to produce N95-equivalent respirators on home soil. The Health Canada authorization, granted in August 2020, makes the company's CAN95 the first and only medical grade respirator manufactured in Canada.
These Vitacore masks have been a revelation ever since I received some packages of them. The things are so comfortable compared to every other mask I have tried that the difference is incredible. For one thing, the masks just fit so well around the edges of your face. Second, they have a flap that swings out and goes over your chin, plus there is a bendable nose guard that fits smoothly. And despite the extra layers of protection, I can breathe easier than the thinner cloth masks. Also, I’ve been able to still wear my reading glasses without them getting fogged up.
All these things make a big difference. I honestly believe these masks have been a life-saver as we went through the highly contagious Omicron variant.
Vitacore also delivers its products to people’s homes.
Vitacore said it partnered with McMaster University to develop this Canadian N95-equivalent respirator with testing completed by the National Research Council of Canada.
Its single-use fold CAN95 respirators have tested at a higher average particle filtration efficiency than the N95 standard, said the company. Vitacore is also the first company in Canada with an integrated facility producing raw materials and finished products.
Helmed by local business leaders, the privately-held company has quickly grown to a team of 90 employees, including engineers and medical professionals at its state-of-the-art facility in Burnaby.
- With additional reporting by Chuck Chiang, Glacier Media
