In guidelines updated on August 6, the CDC warns that masks with valves or vents allow exhaled air to flow freely through the openings, letting respiratory droplets slip through the surface. While these masks may protect you from any particles in the air, they don’t protect others from your potentially infectious respiratory droplets.
Sukaina Hasnie, MD, an otolaryngology resident at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, says preventing the spread of your own droplets is one of the most important things you can do, regardless of whether or not you feel sick.
“You do not have to be symptomatic to be able to transmit SARS-CoV-2 droplets, as studies have shown that pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals carry just as much risk of transferring the virus,” she tells Verywell. “Wearing a mask at least prevents the distance and speed at which respiratory droplets can travel, reducing the risk of transmission to those around us.”
New Research Highlights Which Masks Are Most Effective
A recent study published in Science Advances helps explain why the CDC is now changing their guidance regarding masks with valves and vents. By creating a device that visually depicts the particles emitted when someone is speaking, researchers from Duke University found that wearing a proper mask eliminated the spread of droplets by 80%. But valved N95 masks fared much worse than the traditional fitted, valve-free N95 masks when it came to obstructing the spread of droplets.
Researchers also discovered that wearing a neck gaiter—a tightly-woven, thin fleece mask that encircles the neck and face—may actually be worse than not wearing a mask at all. Since this type of mask breaks up larger respiratory particles into a stream of smaller ones, it may increase the ability of particles to linger in the air longer.
After valve-free N95s, which should be reserved for healthcare professionals, surgical masks proved the most adequate at preventing droplet transmission. The researchers also found that cotton masks become more effective when more layers are added.
If you only have a valve mask, Hasnie advises covering it up with cloth in order to protect those around you.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page.
