2 Minutes - Valved Mask Risks PSA from Fancy Fairy

I decided on the spur of the moment to make one more last ditch effort to inform the public more widely about the risks of wearing valved masks during the Covid 19 / Coronavirus pandemic.
In this video I take one of those valves apart so you can exactly how useless valved masks are in protecting anyone but the wearer. These were made more for one-way protection in carpentry work and smoke protection, which is why I see them worn all over here in California.

I just couldn't let go of the fact that the CDC is not making this clear enough last I looked, the WHO is not making this clear, virtually no national or global health officials or media outlets talk about it when masks are discussed, I'm not sure why.
The CDC language on valved masks is lacking, and people need to know it's incomplete since many of us have always looked to them as an official and trusted source.
The CDC only mentions that valved respirators (masks) should not be worn by health care workers in sterile environments like emergency rooms "because the exhalation valve allows unfiltered exhaled air to escape into the sterile field."
However it neglects to apply this risk to the general public during the Coronavirus pandemic and should warn us that we should not be wearing them, or that we should cover the valve, to prevent spread of Covid 19. Not everyone will connect the dots on their own.
That advice assumes that we wouldn't be infected with an invisible, asymptomatic virus.
Thankfully my local Bay Area counties and SF have a warning about it now, however IMHO word needs to get out more widely.

Bystanders need to know and behave as if a person wearing a valved mask is infected and wearing no mask, rather than feeling a false sense of security.
Wearers need to know that a valved mask is not sufficient to prevent spread - it only protects the wearer from contagion, but we are asked to wear them so as not to infect our neighbors unknowingly, not *only* protecting ourselves.
You can wear a cloth or surgical mask over it to prevent viral particles from escaping from the hole or you can tape it shut - inside probably works best but you should tape the outside too so others know it's closed.

We should be staying home anyway, but when we must go out, wear an un-valved mask or cover the valve.
I also created a petition to urge the CDC to update their guidance. Please sign!

I know this is not fairy related, but hey, I put ears on for y'all!
The wings will be back again, I promise.

I just want to help in some way to prevent any needless illness or death if I can.
Stores should know this, hospitals should know this, everyone needs to know so we can keep everyone safe.
With more orders given county or state wide to wear masks in public, less people are being exposed and more people are protected, but wearing these doesn't just contaminate the air around you for a few seconds. It can stay in the air for a while as we already know, and can contaminate nearby surfaces.
Please spread the word, the awareness of this information could mean life or death for someone you love.

For more on how to properly wear, remove, and care for your masks:

And a special thank you to my local government sites for being some of the few that warns against wearing valved masks!

Logo animation by Anthony Enos.

[marcmm]

Thanks for the vid. The only bad news with this mod is that people can't tell that you did it, so you'll still be judged as if you had an open mask. Maybe some writing with an arrow "port is glued shut" ?

[dani]

hello!!! may i ask wear your elf ears are from i love them so much!!