Several types of cloth face masks are available commercially, especially in Asia. Homemade masks can also be improvised using bandanas, T-shirts, handkerchiefs, scarves, or towels. Depending on the design and materials, reusable cloth masks with incorporated filters can block particles as well as surgical masks.
A peer-reviewed summary of the filtration properties of cloth and cloth masks concluded that, pending further research, evidence is strongest for 2 to 4 layers of plain weave cotton or flannel, at least 100 thread count. A plain-language summary of this review is available.
Comparison of materials for fabric masksOne role of masks worn by the general public is to "stop those who are already infected broadcasting the virus into the air around them" or source control. This is of particular importance with the COVID-19 pandemic, as transmission from people who are asymptomatic is a key feature of its rapid spread. For example, of the people on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 634 people were found to be infected—52% had no symptoms at the time of testing, including 18% who never developed symptoms. Best practice is to implement multiple prevention techniques to reduce risk, for example, increasing the proportion of outside air used in ventilation, filtration systems built into HVAC, stand-alone filtration systems such as HEPA filters and Corsi-Rosenthal boxes, avoiding crowded spaces, and practicing staying home while sick and for the period of probable infectiousness following illness.
Compared with bacteria recovery from unmasked volunteers, a mask made of muslin and flannel reduced bacteria recovered on agar sedimentation plates by 99%, total airborne microorganisms by 99%, and bacteria recovered from aerosols (< 4 μm) by 88% to 99%. In 1975, 4 medical masks and 1 commercially produced reusable mask made of 4 layers of cotton muslin were compared. Filtration efficiency, assessed by bacterial counts, was 96% to 99% for the medical masks and 99% for the cloth mask; for aerosols (< 3.3 μm), it was 72% to 89% and 89%, respectively.
An experiment carried out in 2013 by Public Health England, that country's health-protection agency, found that a commercially made surgical mask filtered 90% of virus particles from the air coughed out by participants, a vacuum cleaner bag filtered out 86%, a tea towel blocked 72% and a cotton t-shirt 51%—though fitting any DIY mask properly and ensuring a good seal around the mouth and nose is crucial. The use of common fabrics in making face masks has been tested. Filter efficiency can be improved with multiple layers, but it is important also to consider breathability. Cotton is the most commonly used material, and filter efficiencies can reach > 80% for particles <. 300 nm with fabric combinations such as cotton-silk, cotton-chiffon, or cotton-flannel, though these filtration efficiencies are not directly comparable with the reported properties of surgical masks and respirators, because of the non-standard methods used in this study, conducted in the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. The WHO recommended that cloth masks should have three layers with a hydrophilic inner layer (e.g., cotton) to absorb moisture from the wearer's breathing, a filter layer, ideally spunbond polypropylene, and a hydrophobic outer layers (e.g., polyester). The benfits of a hydrophobic outer layer have not, to our knowledge, been demonstrated, and may be a throw-back to the idea of protection from droplets, which is now recognized as not the dominant mode of transmission. Masks should be cleaned after each use. They can either be laundered or hand-washed in soapy hot water and dried with high heat.
On June 5, 2020, WHO changed its advice on face masks, recommending that the general public should wear fabric masks where widespread COVID-19 transmission exists and physical distancing is not possible (for example, "on public transport, in shops or in other confined or crowded environments"). The WHO continues to recommend their use: 'Masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress transmission and save lives; the use of a mask alone is not sufficient to provide an adequate level of protection against COVID-19.' The CDC also continues to recommend masking: 'Wearing a mask is an additional prevention strategy that you can choose to further protect yourself and others.'
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