The Government of India has written a letter to all states and union territories warning against the “inappropriate use” of the N-95 mask, in particular the one with the valved respirator.
In a letter dated 20 July, Dr Rajiv Garg, the Director-General of Health Services (DGHS) wrote that the valved respirator N-95 mask is “detrimental to the spread of the novel coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask.” Therefore, these masks defeat the purpose of wearing a mask - i.e. to stop the spread of the virus.
Earlier this year, in April, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued an advisory on homemade masks. They had advised that it could be made from any cotton but had to be cleaned and washed in boiling water every time one wore it.
It added that a mask must be worn every time you step out of your house. There were also guidelines on how to make the mask so that it perfectly fits your face without any gaps as that would defeat the purpose of stopping the virus spread.
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