A new study suggests that homemade two- or three-layer face masks may be more effective in preventing the spread of the new coronavirus compared to a single-layer face covering.
Researchers in Australia conducted a video study comparing the effectiveness of different layers of cloth masks with surgical masks in their ability to stop airborne droplet transmission by speaking, coughing, and sneezing.
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The study, which was published in the journal Thorax., Found that effectiveness varied for cloth masks based on the number of layers. Single-layer masks reduced spread of the droplets by speaking, but double-layer face coverage was better at preventing the droplets from coughing and sneezing, the authors said.
Australian researchers used an LED lighting system and a high-speed camera to capture the airborne droplets expelled by sneezing, coughing, and talking about a healthy person wearing the different masks. The one-layer coating was performed following the seamless method, while the two-layer coating was performed following the guidelines of the Centers or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“These visualizations show the value of wearing face masks and the difference between mask types,” the study authors said.
In addition to the number of layers, the type of material, the arrangement of the different layers and the frequency of washing also affected the effectiveness of the masks, according to the study.
However, the researchers found that a surgical mask “was the best of all the proven scenarios to prevent the spread of droplets from any respiratory emission.”
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“Based on the visualizations presented, in the event of a shortage of surgical masks, a fabric face cover with at least two layers is preferable to a single layer. The guidelines on homemade cloth masks should stipulate multiple layers (at least three), “the researchers stated.
The study concluded that wearing a face mask in general is helpful in stopping the spread of the coronavirus.
“Even a single layer face covering is better than no facial covering,” they wrote.
