CDC Warns Against Using These 6 Face Masks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been providing the public with safety guidelines since the onset of the pandemic. These recommendations have helped people across the country reduce their risk of infection with COVID, especially if the guidelines are followed in full. Of course, a mask will protect you, but only if it follows all of the appropriate agency recommendations for fit, material, etc. For its part, the CDC explicitly warns of six different forms of face masks, as they are not recommended to protect against the coronavirus. Read on to find out which masks you shouldn’t use, and to find out more from the agency, the CDC just issued a shocking COVID vaccine update.

1

Masks that do not fit properly

The CDC says your mask should fit snug, meaning it should fit “snugly around the nose and chin with no large spaces on the sides of the face.”

Leann poston, MD, a registered physician and health advisor for Invigor Medical, says it’s because properly fitted masks are the only ones that effectively stop large droplets that could spread and infect someone. Additionally, masks that do not fit properly require the wearer to frequently touch their face and masks to readjust, and “touching your face can infect you and also increase the spread of germs when you touch other objects afterward. having touched your mask. ”Explains Poston. And to learn more about the limitations of masks, if you don’t, your mask won’t protect you, according to the study.

2

Masks made from hard-to-breathe materials

Plastic and leather are two materials the CDC wants to avoid for mask wearers because they are difficult to breathe.

“If a mask is difficult to breathe, you will breathe around it, which defeats the purpose of a mask. When you cough or sneeze, the droplets will move around the mask or sink from the undersurface. of the mask, ”Poston explains. And if your plastic or leather mask is too tight to breathe, it won’t filter your breath, but will block the flow of air, which could affect your breathing. And to make coronavirus symptoms aware, learn The Early Signs You Have COVID, According to Johns Hopkins.

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3

Loose woven or knit fabric masks

If your mask lets light through when held to a light source, the CDC says it shouldn’t be used. Much like masks that do not fit, masks with a woven or loosely knitted material will allow respiratory droplets to pass through and infect the wearer, says Daniel burnett, MD, CEO of JustAir, a face mask and clear air systems company.

Worse, says Burnett, a loose mesh can “break up respiratory droplets into smaller droplets that can stay airborne for a longer period of time,” which can extend the exposure period. And for the signs of coronavirus you shouldn’t ignore, it’s one of the most “easily overlooked” COVID symptoms, experts warn.

4

Masks with one layer

The CDC says your mask should have at least two or three layers. Abisola Olulade, MD, a family physician with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group in California, says that’s because they’re more likely to filter out particles than masks with just one coat. Olulade says your mask should ideally have three layers: an innermost layer made of water-absorbent material, an intermediate filter layer, and then an outer layer of water-resistant material. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

5

Masks with exhalation valves or vents

The CDC does not recommend masks with valves or vents because, while they may make breathing easier, they do not help stop the spread of COVID. Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, MPH, a New York-based infectious disease expert, says these masks allow respiratory droplets to escape from the wearer, which can infect other people. In fact, some cities, counties, and most major US airlines have banned these face masks. And for the precautions you no longer need to take, find out the one thing you can stop doing to avoid COVID, doctors say.

6

Masks that are in fact a scarf or a ski mask

“Scarves and other headgear such as ski masks and balaclavas used for heat are usually made of loose mesh fabrics that are not suitable for use as masks to prevent the transmission of COVID-19,” explains the CDC. According to Poston, these have the same drawbacks as an ill-fitting mask in that they don’t really filter out droplets and most likely require frequent readjustment. However, you can wear these items more than your mask – you just need to wear a protective mask. And for more essential advice on masks, the FDA has issued a warning against this type of face mask.