For most people, wearing a face mask can be a hassle and many are in search of comfortable options. If you have seen those masks with a plastic valve near the nose – you might be wondering – is it safe to use one?
Sadly, the answer is – no. Although a valve might make breathing easier, the valve might be spraying germs all over at high velocity every time you exhale where it defeats the purpose of wearing a mask in the first place.
The valve filters work by filtering the air you breathe in, but they do not filter exhaled breath at all. While you exhale via a mask with a valve, it not only allows the unfiltered air to escape but the force of the exhalation against the small opening of the valve produces a high-pressure stream of germs being spread out into the surrounding air.
Remember that the main purpose of using a face mask is not to filter the air you are breathing in, but to limit the amount of your exhaled breath that spreads into the environment. Masks are meant to stop any potential bacteria or viruses from reaching others. The masks with valves defeat this vital objective of face coverings. It is recommended to stick with the cotton face masks or coverings.
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Learn how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workplaces and school admissions or the available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/types-of-face-mask
https://www.livescience.com/are-face-masks-effective-reducing-coronavirus-spread.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-coverings-information.pdf