Face masks have become an integral part of our daily lives following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. Touted as the first measure to protect against virus, masks have become mandatory for all leaving their homes.
But, are you using the correct mask to prevent COVID-19? The health ministry on Monday warned against "inappropriate use of N95 masks, especially those that contain respiratory valves."
In a letter to all states and union territories, Rajiv Garg, the director general of health services, ministry of health said "It is to bring to your knowledge that the use of valved respirator N95 masks is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread of coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask."
"In view of the above, I request you to instruct all concerned to follow the use of face/mouth cover and prevent inappropriate use of N95 masks," he added.
A N95 mask with valve filter the air inhaled by the wearer for comfortable breathing. The doctors and researchers across the world have warned against using the N95 masks with a respiratory valve.
The valve in your N95 mask may be a 'one-way valve' which is only going to protect the person wearing it. One-way valve does not filter aerosols coming out of your mouth. It will not protect anyone around that person from potential exposure to virus they exhale.
“The ones with the valves or openings on the front are NOT safe, and may actually propel your germs further,” San Francisco department of public health wrote on Twitter.
“Any mask with a one-way valve is only going to protect the person wearing it. It won’t protect anyone around that person from potential exposure to virus particles they exhale,” said Dr Ali Raja, executive vice chair of the department of emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, according to an article in Heathline.
“It may give the people surrounding them a false sense of security,” he added.
"For pandemic influenza outbreaks, the Institute of Medicine has recommended using a surgical mask cover (SM) over N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) among healthcare workers as one strategy to avoid surface contamination of the FFR which would extend its efficacy and reduce the threat of exhausting FFR supplies," a report said.
The health ministry encouraged public to use home-made face masks. Any cotton clothes can a used as a cover for face and mouth. The ministry had earlier issued an advisory on how to make protective face covers at home.
