It’s been shown that when two people wearing masks interact, the chance of COVID-19 transmission is drastically reduced.
Some people, though, still refuse to wear a mask.
In a new study, researchers examined the protectiveness of various kinds of consumer-grade and modified masks.
They found that some masks were as much as 79% effective at blocking particles that could carry the virus. These were masks made of two layers of woven nylon and fit snug against the wearer’s face.
Unmodified medical procedure masks with ear loops—also known as surgical masks—offered 38.5% filtration efficacy, but when the ear loops were tied in a specific way to tighten the fit, the efficacy improved to 60.3%.
And when a layer of nylon was added, these masks offered 80% effectiveness.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of North Carolina Health Care and elsewhere.
As the adoption of face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic became commonplace, there was a rapid expansion in the public use of commercial, home-made, and improvised masks which vary considerably in design, material, and construction.
There have been a number of innovative “hacks,” devices, and mask enhancements that claim to improve the performance characteristics of conventional masks—typically surgical or procedure masks.
In this study, the researchers tested the fitted filtration efficiency (FFE) of a variety of consumer-grade and improvised face masks, as well as several popular modifications of medical procedure masks.
Seven consumer-grade masks and five medical procedure mask modifications were tested.
Here are the different mask types with filtration efficacy. Bolded below is the top-of-the-line N-95 mask, which proved to be 98 percent effective.
Consumer-grade face masks:
2-layer woven nylon mask, ear loops, w/o aluminum nose bridge: 44.7%
2-layer woven nylon mask, ear loops, w/ aluminum nose bridge: 56.7%
2-layer woven nylon mask, ear loops, w/ nose bridge, 1 non-woven insert: 74.4%
2-layer woven nylon mask, ear loops, w/ nose bridge, washed, no insert: 79%
Cotton bandana—folded Surgeon General style: 50%
Cotton bandana—folded “Bandit” style: 49 %
Single-layer woven polyester gaiter/neck cover (balaclava bandana): 37.8%
Single-layer woven polyester/nylon mask with ties: 39.7%
Non-woven polypropylene mask with fixed ear loops: 28.6%
Three-layer woven cotton mask with ear loops: 26.5%
Medical face masks and modifications:
3M 9210 NIOSH-approved N95 Respirator: 98%
Surgical mask with ties: 71.4%Procedure mask with ear loops: 38.5%
Procedure mask with ear loops + “loops tied and corners tucked in”: 60.3%
Procedure mask with ear loops + “Ear Guard”: 61.7%
Procedure mask with ear loops + “23mm claw hair clip”: 64.8%
Procedure mask with ear loops + “Fix-the Mask (3 rubber bands)”: 78.2%
Procedure mask with ear loops + “nylon hosiery sleeve”: 80.2%
One author of the study is Phillip Clapp, Ph.D., an inhalation toxicologist and assistant professor of pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine.
The study is published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
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