Dumaguete Info Search


FDA recommends avoiding VALVE masks

Discussion in 'COVID-19' started by Edward K, Aug 6, 2020.

Tags:
  1. Edward K

    Edward K DI Senior Member Veteran Navy

    Messages:
    921
    Trophy Points:
    236
    Ratings:
    +995 / 82
    Banks are now following the new FDA recommendation against VALVE masks. If you have one, you will probably run into this soon. We had one from years ago, and now no longer...

    FDA Advisory No. 2020-1374 - 20 July 2020
    <<The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is strongly advising the public that the use of a facemask with a valve is not recommended during this COVID-19 pandemic. The person wearing the mask with a valve can be protected from the virus. However if that person has the virus, he/she can infect other people....
    Two-way protection is needed to prevent possible transmission of the virus. ....The person wearing the valve-mask is protected but if that person has the disease, he/she can spread the virus to other people.
    Face masks with valve should not be used in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities...... Use of this face mask is also discouraged in the community setting especially in enclosed environment such as malls, offices, restaurants, hotels, etc.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
  2. hiddenuser

    hiddenuser Guest Guest User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0

    hi sir edward! well seriously i for one appreciate your post as this is news to me, on two counts. first i bought a little package of masks when this all started and they have little round things on one side. i wonder if this is a valve? second, this is the first time i have heard the FDA is weighing in on covid. i would rather they focused on airline food myself. so when they were all in the huddle dr F must have told the FDA to "go long" and now that the covid game has moved downfield the FDA shows up to confuse us a little more. i wonder if the CDC and WHO feel the same way about valve masks. the philippines just announced (i think) that all passengers on commercial transporters must now wear a face mask and a face shield. this includes airlines flying both domestically and internationally although i presume once you pass the 12 mile offshore limit (or where ever it is) you can take the shield off? there was still no mention of fines for passengers who take their shoes off which needs to be addressed too. i could go on but my asawa is calling, "nose bleed, nose bleed". tell me if you don't know what that means!!
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  3. jim787

    jim787 DI Senior Member

    Messages:
    556
    Trophy Points:
    225
    Ratings:
    +434 / 38
    I believe that Philippines FDA is following recent U.S. advice (from medical experts) on the inutility of valve masks for ordinary wear.
     
  4. OP
    OP
    Edward K

    Edward K DI Senior Member Veteran Navy

    Messages:
    921
    Trophy Points:
    236
    Ratings:
    +995 / 82
    Hi SN70... Nobody has ever knighted me, I'm not "sir", drives me nuts and has for the last five yrs. <grin>

    I fear the little round thing IS a valve, good to prevent virus getting in, bad for "exhaling." We got some cloth ones, seems to be longest lasting and washable..

    The FDA is the Philippines, "https://www.fda.gov.ph" not the US. Not sure about WHO or CDC, FDA here published this a couple months ago. US probably not saying anything, jeez, they shoot people over there over ANY mask. I have heard about shields on public transport, not sure how that will work.

    I know about a bleeding nose, but what is a "nose bleed" ??
     
  5. hiddenuser

    hiddenuser Guest Guest User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0

    hey! srry i assumed the US FDA, didn't realize the phils had a copy.

    nosebleed here is a comment spoken by your listener when you are talking too long/too much! interesting because i have heard it a lot in my life here, and filipinos are rare to give any criticism about anything.

    then all my masks have valves i think, oh well
     
  6. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    4,918
    Trophy Points:
    386
    Ratings:
    +5,588 / 2,888
    Is the cloth breathable to a reasonable extent? If so, just seal the valve.

    I am not sure what these valves are - I have some on N95 masks, so would seem surprising if they have no filter mechanism. But I haven't had to use them yet. Probably end up using them for dusty DIY (not that I do any!).
     
  7. hiddenuser

    hiddenuser Guest Guest User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0

    well i thought N95 masks were the cats meow until the philippine FDA spoke up about it. its confusing. i think i will wait until the pharmacists union and the philippine chiropractic association weigh in with their advisories.

    in the meantime i will just wear it on my chin so i can breathe. i tried covering everything including the nose but in minutes the mask gets hot and wet and i start turning blue. besides i have had enough micro to know that N95 means five percent of airborne stuff gets through it anyway, so if you are breathing in a million particles without the mask then you are still breathing in 50 k with it right? a recent study published in live science (or life science) said you breathe in about 1600 different kinds of bacteria from your environment daily (in austin texas anyway) that doesn't count mold spores, viruses, yeast, dust, heavy metal, hydrocarbons et al.

    anyway, i guess i will just keep the N95s i have, wear them on my chin for show like most people i meet, and wash them once a month whether they need it or not. btw, i am looking for a covid buddy who will send someone to the house to check on me if i stop posting. anyone?
     
  8. MikeP64

    MikeP64 DI Forum Adept Veteran Marines

    Messages:
    278
    Trophy Points:
    176
    Ratings:
    +246 / 138
    N95 masks with exhaust valve are intended for industrial uses like mining, construction or painting, were your not concerned with where your exhale goes. So 95% of particulates found in those type environments.

    The US CDC recommends the use of respirators with at least N95 certification to protect the wearer from inhalation of infectious particles including covid19. I haven't found any reference as to a percentage of covid19 that can pass through. Hopefully none is why it is recommended.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Thanks Thanks x 1
  9. hiddenuser

    hiddenuser Guest Guest User

    Ratings:
    +0 / 0

    i would like to make it clear upfront that i am not being argumentative about this. i think we are all searching for an understanding of what we are faced with here. i just left the CDC web site and they state that N95 will filter out 95% of very small particles (including "o.3 microns") covid ranges from o.2 down to 0.1 micron in size. so my interpretation that the N95 mask would stop less than 95 percent of covid.

    the CDC does not refer to masks as such, but as "respirators" (is my read) and described therein what we are calling masks.

    the valve issue is to protect others from your exhalation as the valve releases unfiltered air you breath out.

    it is hard to come to any agreement amongst ourselves when the experts don't agree and keep changing their recommendations. i think it is correct to say now the CDC recommends cloth masks for the public, not N95. cloth masks stop droplets but not the viruse (in either direction) the country of India just make use of N95 by the public illegal (for one billion plus people) requiring instead cloth mask for them.

    i agree industrial use and medical use are not the same and perhaps it adds to the confusion.

    most medical sites seem to distinguish between N95 respirators (with or without a valve) and "surgical masks" which appear to be more effective. again i am not taking issue with anyone about this. it is all quite confusing.

    add to that the pragmatic view i have is that in this culture there are so many places where equipment is worn incorrectly or not at all. (no one in my neighborhood including all the little children wear any face covers at all). every business downtown seems to have different rules in place and that they change from day to day. to me it makes destroying the economy entirely pointless.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  10. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    4,918
    Trophy Points:
    386
    Ratings:
    +5,588 / 2,888
    Do you mean to come there and nail up your door(s)?
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
Loading...