Cotton masks “work better than we thought”. But be careful!

Fabric masks provide protection against COVID-19, but their effectiveness is generally lower than that of surgical and filter masks, reminds the CDC. Meanwhile, a study has emerged which showed that “cotton fabrics do indeed work better in masks than we thought”. Get to know the details.

1. CDC: the filtration efficiency of cloth masks is generally lower than that of medical and filter masks, although they may provide some protection if well designed and properly used
2. A new study takes into account an important real-world factor: the moisture in the mask from our breath
3. Test results: wet cotton fabrics increased their ability to trap particles by 33%.
4. This does not mean, however, that a wet mask is better. If it gets wet, for example, due to weather conditions, coughing or sneezing, it should be replaced
5. You can find more such stories on the Onet homepage.

The effectiveness of fabric protective masks – what do we know about it?

The coronavirus has been with us for over a year, and masks are still one of the most important ways to reduce the transmission of a pandemic pathogen. Among the various types of masks, the Polish Ministry of Health recommends the use of the medical (surgical) and filtering masks (these products must meet European standards). Material masks are also allowed.

As emphasized by the CDC, the filtration efficiency of cloth masks is generally lower than that of medical masks and masks with filters (e.g. FFP masks), although they may provide some protection if well designed and properly used. As the CDC points out, cloth masks should be “made of multiple layers of densely woven material, with the nose wire out of a bright light source should not let it through”.

1. FFP2 mask – what does it look like? How long can you wear it? [WE EXPLAIN]

The Agency advises against the use of a fabric face mask if it has an exhalation valve or vents, if it is made up of a single layer, or if it is made of a thin fabric that keeps out light. Let us also remind you that if we want to use such masks more than once, they should be washable at 60 degrees C. You can buy 3-layer protective masks at Medonet Market.

The World Health Organization addressed the issue of wearing material masks (primarily in the context of new mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus) in January. – Masks that do not meet the requirements in force in medicine can still be used by people under the age of 60 without endangering their health – quoted the WHO plenipotentiary for the coronavirus pandemic “Deutsche Welle”.

Cotton protective masks. “They work better than we thought”

As sciencealert.com points out, in some studies on the effectiveness of various types of material masks, an important factor in the real world was overlooked, namely the fact that while wearing the masks they become wet from our breath. Scientists from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute have addressed this issue. The results surprised them.

— Cotton fabrics actually do better in masks than we thought, said one of the study’s authors, Christopher Zangmeister of the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). But from the beginning.

1. What are the types of face masks? [WE EXPLAIN]

Scientists tested nine different types of cotton and six types of synthetic fibers (including polyester and rayon). It was tested how the fabrics behave at a relative humidity of 99%. (reflecting the conditions that occur when the mask is worn on the face). As it turned out?

Synthetic fabrics did not change properties in humid conditions. It is known that such fibers “repel” water without soaking it up. Meanwhile, damp cotton fabrics increased their ability to trap particles by 33 percent. As scientists explain, microscopic particles, when passing through a wet fabric, absorb some of this moisture, increasing in size, which makes it difficult for them to freely penetrate the fabric.

Under these conditions, cotton flannel performed best, especially when compared to synthetic materials. The reason is the differences in the structure of the fibers – compared to the ordered pattern of the polyester weave, the arrangement of the flannel fibers is chaotic. According to scientists at NIST, this mess increases the likelihood that potentially infectious particles will be “trapped” in the fabric as they pass through the mask.

1. Moisture under the mask helps fight COVID-19

Scientists warn: a wet mask is no better

The filtration efficiency of cotton fabrics increases in humid conditions – this is the main conclusion of the study. This does not mean, however, that a wet mask is better. According to the researchers, in humid conditions, a two-layer cotton flannel mask absorbs about 150 milligrams of water from human breath. This is only equivalent to one or two drops. If fabric masks get wet in any other way, breathing through them may be difficult and virus filtering will be reduced. So remember that if the masks get wet, for example due to weather conditions, coughing or sneezing, they should be replaced.

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute emphasize that more research is needed to fully understand the interactions between face masks, moisture and aerosol particle transport. “To understand how these materials behave in the real world, we need to study them under realistic conditions,” emphasizes Christopher Zangmeister. Nevertheless, the results of the experiment are already valuable in the work on improving masks and measuring their performance.

We recommend disposable masks available on Medonet Market.

You may be interested in:

1. What is the best mask for shopping, on the bus, or to the doctor? Here are the CDC recommendations
2. Can surgical masks expire? [WE EXPLAIN]
3. Do you store the mask in the car? See how effective it is. For your own good

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