Mask with valve not meant for doctors: Experts

PATNA: Union health ministry has asked people to avoid N95 mask, especially those with a valved respirator, as it is meant for health workers only.

Director General of Health Services (DGHS)

Rajiv Garg

wrote a letter to the state governments on Monday, saying: “It is to bring to your knowledge that the use of valved respirator N95 mask is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread of coronavirus.”

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also tweeted on Tuesday, encouraging the use of ‘homemade triple-layer mask for face and mouth’, instead of N95 mask, for residents while stepping out of their residences.

Health experts in the city said the N95 mask was never meant for general public. Senior vice-president of Indian Medical Association (Patna branch) Ajay Kumar said: “Ever since the pandemic began, it was advised to people to use a mask made of any normal cloth piece to cover mouth and nose. N95 masks were always meant for health workers. If residents have to wear better quality masks, they can simply use three-layered masks, which are extremely beneficial.”

Talking about the risk in using N95 mask, Dr Pratyush Kumar of PMCH said, “N95 masks are meant for someone who have problems in breathing or for those who are required to wear it for long hours. Residents wearing them while going out won’t save themselves from getting infected. Besides, if a corona positive patient wears it, chances are that the virus will get transferred to the air,” he said.

He added that the effectiveness of masks fades away after a few washes. “The valves get clogged after a certain period of time. People these days reuse them for months, which make them more prone to the virus,” Dr Kumar said.

Chemists and pharmacists attributed the price of N95 mask as the main reason why people buy it. “One N95 mask costs around Rs250, which is much more than a normal cloth mask available in the market. Buying expensive things is a trend. I tell people that any normal cloth mask can save them from getting infected, but they mostly buy N95 masks,” said Krishna Sharma, manager of a chemist shop in Boring Road.

Residents said they were just trying to safeguard themselves from the virus. “N95 masks have always been recommended as a lifesaver, be it during dengue or Covid-19. This is the reason why I bought these masks for my entire family. However, we will now use normal cloth mask as suggested by the government,” said Anup Gaurav of Kadamkuan.