NEW DELHI: The central government has written letters to all the states and union territories warning them against the use of N-95 masks with valved respirators. The Centre said that such N-95 masks with valved respirators cannot prevent the escaping of the virus from the mask and termed them as detrimental to the measures being adopted for containing the spread of the COVID-19.

Rajiv Garg, the director-general of health services, ministry of health, wrote a letter to Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of states and said that people are making inappropriate use of N-95 masks especially with valved respirators.

As these masks don't prevent the escaping of virus out of it, Garg instructed officials to spread awareness among the people and advise them to use masks that cover and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier in April, the central government issued an advisory asking people to wear the homemade protective masks to cover face and mouth especially when they step out of their homes.

The government also advised people to wash such homemade face covers each day, and it had also made it clear that any type of cotton cloth can be used for making of such face covers.

The Centre said that the colour of the fabric chosen to make homemade mask or face cover doesn't matter, but it should be washed thoroughly in boiling water at least for five minutes and should be dried well before making the face cover.

It also advised the public to add salt to the boiling water before cleaning the cloth.

The centre also listed the procedures for making of such homemade face covers, masks and advised the public to make face mask that fits well to one's face without any gaps on the sides.

Government urges the public to follow all the precautionary measures like regularly washing hands and sanitising with proper alcohol-based sanitisers, and wearing face masks, and changing the face masks when they become humid.

It even advised people to never share their face mask with any of the family members, and everyone in the family must have their own mask.

On Monday, India reported 40,425 COVID-19 cases and with this, the tally rose to 11,18,043. A total of 7,00,000 patients were completely cured and discharged till date.

India reported 681 deaths on July 20 with this COVID-19 deaths rose to 27,497.