Masks with exhalation valves don't protect others from COVID-19, health officials say

Now that masks are a part of our daily ensembles, it’s important to be in-the-know on what each mask has to offer and what could be potentially harming ourselves and others. Not all masks provide the same level of protection to the wearer and those that surround them. Increasingly, health officials, countries, cities and airlines are recommending against masks with an exhaust valve — or outright banning them.

A  factsheet on masks put out by Toronto Public Health specifies that masks with exhalation valves are not recommended due to the fact that the valves “may filter dust particles in the air as the person inhales, but they may not filter virus particles or respiratory droplets.”