Warning against use of N-95 masks

Kolkata: The Director General of Health Services under the Union Health Ministry, Dr Prof (Dr) Rajiv Garg has written to the state health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam warning against the use of N-95 masks with valved respirators by the people.

The directives issued by the Center to the state say that N-95 masks with valved respirators do not prevent the virus and therefore these masks are "detrimental" to the measures taken by the various governments for its containment. Prof Garg also urged the state government to issue necessary instructions to check the use of such masks.

"It is to bring to your knowledge that the use of valved respirator N-95 masks is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread of coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask.

In view of the above, I request you to instruct all concerned to follow the guidelines on the use of face mouth cover and prevent inappropriate use of N-95 masks," reads the letter.

The Director General of Health Services in his letter also pointed out that it has been observed that there is inappropriate use of the N-95 masks particularly those having valved respirator by the people other than designated health workers. He also stressed on the advisory issued by the Centre on the use of home-made protective cover face and mouth.

It may be mentioned here that the state government has already asked various agencies to prepare masks to protect people from the virus.