Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Home-Made Face Masks Likely Need at Least 2 Layers to Curb COVID-19 Spread

posted by Fnord666 on Monday July 27 2020, @03:01PM   Printer-friendly
from the and-they-need-to-actually-fit dept.

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for carny:

Home-made face masks likely need at least 2 layers to curb COVID-19 spread:

Home-made cloth face masks likely need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets from the nose and mouth that are associated with the spread of COVID-19, indicates a video case study published online in the journal Thorax.

[...] A team of Australian researchers therefore compared the effectiveness of single and double-layer cloth face coverings (175 g/m² cotton fabric, with a thread count of 170/ inch) with a 3-ply surgical face mask (Bao Thach) at reducing droplet spread.

[...] The video recording showed that the 3-ply surgical face mask was the most effective at reducing airborne droplet dispersal, although even a single layer cloth face covering reduced the droplet spread from speaking.

But a double layer covering was better than a single layer in reducing the droplet spread from coughing and sneezing, the recording showed.

This is just one case, added to which several other factors contribute to the effectiveness of cloth face masks, note the researchers. These include the type of material used, design and fit, as well as the frequency of washing.

Nevertheless, based on their observations, a home made cloth mask with at least two layers is preferable to a single layer mask, they say, adding: "Guidelines on home-made cloth masks should stipulate multiple layers."

And they emphasise: "There is a need for more evidence to inform safer cloth mask design, and countries should ensure adequate manufacturing or procurement of surgical masks."

Journal Reference:
Prateek Bahl, Shovon Bhattacharjee, Charitha de Silva, et al. Face coverings and mask to minimise droplet dispersion and aerosolisation: a video case study [$], Thorax (DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215748)

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Home-Made Face Masks Likely Need at Least 2 Layers to Curb COVID-19 Spread | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 171 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 29 2020, @09:15PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 29 2020, @09:15PM (#1028306)

    Do you wear your mask when you shower at the gym after a workout? In Ohio (AND MICHIGAN) you would be required to wear one if following the letter of the law. If we copied NY fines, a maskless showering scofflaw could conceivably be on the hook for a grand if someone with a badge was having a bad day and took it out on them.

    If gyms were open in NY (which they're not, and a good thing too) I'd likely shower at home even without a pandemic.

    Apparently, you're not familiar with the difference between De Jure and De Facto [wustl.edu]

    And much of that has to do with adherence (or the lack thereof) to Wheaton's Law [knowyourmeme.com].

    I haven't yet decided if you're just not very good at communicating in English (and no, I don't know what you're thinking unless you actually say it) or you're just a dickhead.

    It's sad that it took four or five comments from you to mostly discern what you were trying to say. Work on it. I know you can do better.