The ‘face mask’ you shouldn’t wear
Researchers at Duke University in Kentucky have conducted a study of 14 different types of face masks to see which offered the best protection and found that one option was actually worse than not wearing anything.
They examined surgical, N95, cotton, and polypropylene masks, as well as neck fleeces and bandanas, testing a person speaking 10 times while wearing each mask and compared to a ‘control trial’ of not wearing any mask.
In comparison to the ‘control trial’, most of the options reduced the number of respiratory droplets transmitted, adding to the body of research that shows masks are important to limit the spread of coronavirus, the researchers said. Polypropylene masks marked a droplet count that was close to the numbers counted for surgical and N95 masks which had the lowest number of droplets.
The neck fleece and bandanas, however, marked high counts of respiratory droplets, showing that these alternative face coverings offer little protection, according to the study.
In fact, neck fleece increased the number of respiratory droplets by creating a number of smaller droplets – resulting in more droplets than not wearing masks at all.
The study stated that since smaller droplets stay in the air longer than larger droplets, neck fleece may actually be “counterproductive”.
“We were extremely surprised to find that the number of particles measured with the fleece actually exceeded the number of particles measured without wearing any mask,” Martin Fischer, one of the study’s authors, told CNN. “We want to emphasise that we really encourage people to wear masks, but we want them to wear masks that actually work.”
Great advice Janelle...in case there is some confusion what a neck fleece is, here's a picture:
This is totally useless..yet it is promoted by the DHHS Victoria.
"If a face mask is not available, other forms of face covering may be used such as a scarf or bandana."
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/face-coverings-covid-19#what-does-wearing-a-face-covering-mean
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has issued clear advice that masks with valves will not help to limit the spread of coronavirus.
Not all masks, however, are equally effective and the state’s Chief Health Officer wants people to understand that masks with valves should not be worn during the COVID-19 pandemic because the wearer can still breathe out the virus.‘It allows the wearer to breathe out more easily and stops moisture build-up, but the problem is that it allows you to breathe out virus if you’re infected,’
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Some cities are banning masks with valves…I feel it might not be long before they are banned here in Australia too.
Thanks for bringing that to our attention Janelle