In todayĄ¯s COVID-19 world, face masks have become an important part of our lives. Even though they cause immense discomfort, face masks have become a safety necessity.?
And this necessity has led to several types of face masks being available in the market -- you get cheap face masks made from fabric, you get fancy ones with valves in it and you even get funny ones with smiley images printed on them.?
And recently, the Indian health ministry has issued a warning that highlights what you should and should not do with your face mask and one of the guidelines is to stop selling face masks with respirator valves, as they might not be keeping us COVID-19 safe as we thought they would.?
Rajiv Garg, DGHS, in a letter to all the states and union territories, states, "It is to bring to your knowledge that the use of valved respirator N95 masks are 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.?
As highlighted by TOI, the problem with N95 masks is with the valves that come fitted with them. N95 masks are essentially a kind of PPE that is designed for health care workers as well as workers at a construction site.?
The mask is made of a material that filters air coming in. Most of these masks are fitted a valve at the front that enables better ventilation so it doesnĄ¯t feel too exhausting to breathe.?
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However, most masks that are circulating in the market only have a one-way valve. Which means while it does filter the air coming from the outside, it isnĄ¯t preventing your breath from staying in. the valve is acting like an unfiltered outlet to spread outside.?
In case you have a mask with a two-way valve, youĄ¯re good to go, however, with a one-way valve, youĄ¯re putting others in danger, just like you arenĄ¯t wearing a mask.?
In case you still want to use an N95 mask, then use the one without the respirator (it looks a little like a duck's mouth) or get one with an inlet as well as an outlet valve.?
The safest, which has been suggested by the health ministry is homemade masks made using a cloth. However, they do highlight certain things you need to adhere to while using face masks -- washing it in boiling in water with salt for five minutes and drying it properly before use.?
Additionally, wearing one only for eight hours. In case the mask has become damp while use, replace it with a fresh one as a wet one wonĄ¯t keep you as safe. And most importantly keep your face mask separate, donĄ¯t share it with anyone.