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Jan 19, 2024

These N95 masks can spread germs if not worn properly, health officials say

In this photo, you see a woman wearing an Ffp3 mask with an exhalation valve. N95 masks that have an exhalation valve do nothing to protect others from COVID-19, and therefore do not comply with current mask mandates.

While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear a facial covering in public spaces and when around people who don't live in your household, it's important to note not all masks are as effective when trying to slow the spread of COVID-19.

San Francisco's health officer Dr. Tomás Aragón signed an order in May warning that N95 masks with exhalation valves actually allow a person's germs to spread, Los Angeles Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II reported.

"Any mask that incorporates a one-way valve (typically a raised plastic cylinder about the size of a quarter on the front or side of the mask) that is designed to facilitate easy exhaling allows droplets to be released from the mask, putting others nearby at risk," the order reads.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention signed an order in May Los Angeles Times staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II According to the CDC told the San Francisco Chronicle
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