FACE MASK NEWS ARTICLES

“In addition to level of filtration, we have to pay attention to fit,” Allen continued. “You want the mask to go over the bridge of the nose, below the chin and be flush on the face, resting along the skin. You want your breath going through the filter media and not escaping out the sides.”

Lamotte, Sandee (2020), ‘Choosing the best mask to protect you and others, according to new CDC guidelines’, CNN.COM, 11 November

Wearing a mask protects the wearer, and not just other people, from the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized in an updated scientific brief issued Tuesday. And the protective benefits of masks are stronger the more people wear masks consistently and correctly, the agency says.

Godoy, Maria (2020), ‘Wear Masks To Protect Yourself From The Coronavirus, Not Only Others, CDC Stresses’, NPR.org, 11 November

Some materials (e.g., polypropylene) may enhance filtering effectiveness by generating triboelectric charge (a form of static electricity) that enhances capture of charged particles…

CDC (2020), ‘Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2’, CDC.gov, 10 November

Home-made cloth face masks likely need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets from the nose and mouth that are associated with the spread of COVID-19, indicates a video case study published online in the journal Thorax.

Thomas, Naomi (2020), ‘Covid-19 mask safety: Two or three layers best to protect against virus, study finds’, CNN.com, 24 July

The best bet for the material to slip in as a filter is polypropylene, which is derived from plastic, says Chu.

Godoy, Maria (2020), ‘A User’s Guide To Masks: What’s Best At Protecting Others (And Yourself)’, NPR.Org, 1 July

Store-bought masks that are sightly raised to allow a gap for the nose are less effective than tight, homemade masks.

Laderer, Ashley (2020), ‘What works and what doesn’t: The efficacy of different types of fabric face masks’, Insider.com, Aug 21

 Just be sure not to wear an N95 mask with a valve, Westman says. These masks release exhaled air, which defeats the purpose of wearing the mask to protect others.

Nania, Rachel and Urban, Peter (2020), ‘Study Ranks the Best and Worst Materials for Face Masks’, AARP.org, Aug 19

Infectious disease expert Dr. Mia Taormina of DuPage Medical Group agrees that you should wash a mask “after 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use.” But if you are “taking it on and off and intermittently using it for shorter periods of time, once weekly is reasonable,” she said.

Carter, Isabel and Eng, Monica (2020), ‘How Often Should I Wash My Mask? And More Of Your Questions About Face Masks’, NPR.org, 20 July

A fabric mask can also be decontaminated by leaving it in a paper bag. The recommended duration is two days.

Moffitt, Mike (2020), ‘How often should I wash my cloth mask? What about surgical, N95 masks?’, SFGATE.com, 12 July