Why the government wants you to stop wearing a valved N95 mask

The N95 masks are called so due to their ability to filter out 95% of 0.3 micron particles, making them one of the safest options out there, but there's a problem with them, due to the respiratory valve on them.

Most close fitting masks come with a respiratory valve - a small coin size disc on the side or centre of the mask - that helps the wearer breathe easily by letting air out and preventing humidity inside.

The government's issue with the exhalation valve is that it forcefully propels exhaled air outwards, which means the particles in exhaled air travel much farther than they would if a normal mask were used.

A larger issue is that respiratory valves are one-way filters, they only filter the air that comes inside the mask, but not the exhaled air which puts other people at risk during a large scale pandemic.

While N95 masks are usually the safest, the presence of an exhalation valve makes them unviable during a pandemic, instead, the government is advising citizens to use home made or purchased fabric masks, preferably of cotton, to stay safe.

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