WHY THE GOVERNMENT WANTS YOU TO STOP WEARING N95 MASK

In today’s World, face masks have become an important part of our lives. Even though they cause immense discomfort, it has become A safety necessity. This necessity has led to several types of face Masks being available in the market- You get cheap face masks being made of 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 mask and one of the Is to stop sailing face masks with respirator As they might not be COVID-19 safe As we thought they might be. Rajiv Garg, DGHS, In a letter to all the states and union territories, States, “It is to bring to knowledge that the use of Respirator N95 masks Are detrimental to the For preventing the spread of 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 mask is the valve that comes fitted with them. N95 masks are essentially a type of PPE that is designed for health care workers as well as for workers at the construction site. The mask is made of material that filters air which is coming in. Most of these masks are fitted with a valve at front that enables better ventilation so it doesn’t feel exhausting to breathe . 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 isn’t preventing your breath, from staying in. The valve is acting like an unfiltered outlet to spread outside. The safest, which has been suggested by health ministry is home made masks – washing it in boiling water with salt for five minutes and drying it properly before use.