1. COVID-19: mask efficacy is dependent on both fabric and fit
- Author
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Roy D. Sleator, Simon Jeffers, Steven Darby, Krishnakumar Chulliyallipalil, N. Smith, Milosz Przyjalgowski, Liam Lewis, Paddy McGowan, and Alan Giltinan
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Microbiology (medical) ,Materials science ,masks ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,droplets ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Short Communication ,coronaviruses ,Sodium Chloride ,Microbiology ,law.invention ,Clothing ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Optics ,law ,Materials Testing ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Particle Size ,Personal Protective Equipment ,Leakage (electronics) ,Aerosols ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Textiles ,COVID-19 ,Penetration (firestop) ,Conical surface ,Equipment Design ,Laser ,Face masks ,030104 developmental biology ,face coverings ,Prevention control ,business - Abstract
Aim: Face masks are an important addition to our arsenal in the fight against COVID-19. The aim of this study is to present a novel method of measuring mask performance which can simultaneously assess both fabric penetration and leakage due to poor fit. Materials & methods: A synthetic aerosol is introduced into the lung of a medical dummy. A conical laser sheet surrounds the face of the dummy where it illuminates the aerosol emitted during a simulated breath. The system is demonstrated with five mask types. Conclusions: The curved laser sheet highlights both penetration through the mask fabric and leakage around the edges of the mask. A large variation in both material penetration and leakage was observed., Graphical abstract, Tweetable abstract Face masks are an effective means of stemming the spread of COVID-19. However, mask performance varies considerably depending on the fabric from which they are made, and how they fit on the face.
- Published
- 2020