He means he doesn’t get the point of the valve in a mask that has a filter inserted at the valve, such as in ravensthief’s link. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BLHTLSL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xzamFbTFMV1JE
Which is exactly the same as one my husband sometimes wears.
I wonder if it’s “style”. Real respirators for woodworking, etc., have a valve, so this one looks “more serious” if it has one, even though the valve is basically fake?
Huh. I saw somebody wearing one like that in town, and I wondered whether they’d blocked off their exhale valve or whether they didn’t realize it was the wrong type – or just didn’t care. But you’re saying the exhale valve has its own filter in it? (That’s not clear to me in the ad.) Unless the filter in the exhale valve doesn’t do very much, I don’t see the point in that either – and if it doesn’t do very much, then I don’t think people should be wearing those for (against?) covid.
It comes with a multipack of filters which look at least as thick as my surgical mask.
I wonder if it’s a mask type that was used as a one-way dust valve before now, but is now being repurposed with a filter for CV-19 use.
Do they cover the full exhale valve, though, or just the rest of the mask? – I have a holder with exhale valve that takes separate N95 filters, but there’s a hole in the filter at the exhale valve. (That setup wasn’t made for covid, it was made for working in dusty conditions.)
My husband’s mask, which looks like the one we are discussing, has a solid filter which completely covers the “valve” as well as the rest of the front of the mask. No hole in the filter. I examined it pretty carefully because looking at the mask I assumed it wouldn’t work to protect anyone else, but as best as I can tell, it’s fine – at least as good as the typical cloth mask.
I really don’t understand why there’s a valve just in the outer cloth layer, and not in either the inner cloth layer nor the filter layer.
Thanks for this!
I’m guessing that they were originally workshop masks which were quickly repurposed to use as CV-19 masks.
My surgical masks have, as the inside metal nose piece, a baggie twist-tie. These things were made as fast as possible with whatever materials easily were on hand.
Yeah, that doesn’t make any sense to me either. Especially when the text of the ad says the exhale valve makes it easier to breathe; which implies it’s a functional one-way valve. But if all it’s doing is reducing one of three layers, and none of them is the main filter layer, it can’t be very functional.
Of course, neither are the pockets in a lot of women’s clothes (she says, in her men’s cargo pants.)
ETA: They don’t look to me like any mask I’ve ever seen made for workshop wear. They look like a fashion thing.
The CDC very recently published recommendations that masks with exhalation valves should not be worn and considered adequate protection against Covid.
People prefer wearing them because they are easier to exhale with, but is because they aren’t filtering exhaled air, meaning others than the wearer are not protected.
You are not reading what we’ve written. We’re discussing masks WITH FILTERS.
To the OP: I live in a blue state. The dude I’ve mentioned in my IMHO post has said that he’d “never” wear a mask, but now feels “forced” to politically. It’s actually encouraging.
Very good! Baby steps…
I have read every post carefully. Here are just three examples of valves being mentioned.
I am not literally killing people if I don’t wear a mask, and I am not literally saving lives if I do! Come on people.
Yes, but we’ve stated that the filter covers all - including the valve area. Puzzlegal’s husband has one, and she’s examined it. She wrote:
Is that filter certified as effective by qualified governmental agencies?
I mean this ever so politely, but is puzzlegal with one of those certifying agencies or the CDC?
Yesterday the CDC’s guidance was that masks with valves were not protective of both parties.
And we’re mentioning them because we’re puzzling over how they can make any sense if the filter covers the exhale valve.
If the filter covers the exhale valve, then they are filtering the exhaled air, and would be all right to wear for/against covid. But if the filter covers the exhale valve, then the exhale valve can’t be working as an exhale valve. That’s the whole point of the discussion.
You’ll probably never know if you kill somebody by not wearing one. But yes, you might do so.
The CDC is referring to those masks that do not have a filter in the valve. These do. Thick filters.
Only if the filter over the exhale valve is a certified as effective to established standards. Any manufacture/seller can slap something looking filter-like together without it actually working well enough to filter small enough particles to be protective. Back to protecting the wearer but not the rest of us near or rebreathing her/his exhaled air within several hours of it being exhaled, even if the valved masked wearer has already left the area.
The surgical masks being sold everywhere now, and being used in the medical office where I work, are not certified. Cloth masks are not certified. Homemade masks are not certified. Bandanas are not certified. Gaiters are not certified.