FDA warns the public on using valve masks vs Coronavirus

The Food and Drug Administration Director-General Eric Domingo warns the public on using the valve masks versus coronavirus.

According to Domingo, Masks with exhaust valves cannot protect the person from Coronavirus disease as they are designed for industrial use and not for medical and surgical purposes.

“They do not have infection control (mechanism). The valves are not designed to, for instance, protect a person from inhaling the air being exhaled by an infected person wearing it,” FDA director general Eric Domingo said in a radio interview.

He added that the protection offered by valve masks is “one way”. It is usually worn by carpenters and other industrial workers against dust and particles.

However, what we seek is a two way protection from mask which means that the sick wearing mask will not infect others at the same time if you are well and wearing mask, you will not be infected from others.

“The protection that we want from a mask is two-way. If you are sick, you will not infect others and at the same time, if you are well, you will not get the infection from other infected individuals,” he added.

The official said that for everyday use, cloth masks are better than valve masks. While for hospital use, especially when caring for a patient, it’s best to use medical or surgical masks.

The Medical City issued an advisory last week that wearing masks with the exhaust is not allowed inside the clinic premises.

The advisory is as follow:

“While masks with valves are designed to ease exhalation and decrease humidity for the wearer, they do not block the transmission of COVID-19 because they allow exhaled air and droplets to escape.”

“We value your safety and the well being of our patients, clinic staff, and doctors. Starting today, all locations of the Medical City Clinic will not allow patients and companions wearing masks with valves to enter clinic premises. Please refer to the poster for your guidance.”

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