Wearing a medical mask is the most effective way to prevent COVID-19

Masks are an important tool in reducing the risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but there is currently little research on the differences between masks.

People in New York, USA wear a COVID-19 prevention mask. Photo: washingtonpost.com

A new study has identified 14 types of masks that are widely used and found that medical masks provide better protection against droplets than fabric masks, while bandanas and towels Hooded has little effect.

In a study by a team of scientists at Duke University, North Carolina (USA), volunteers wearing different masks sat in a dark room, facing a laser radiation machine and speaking out loud 5 times. the sentence 'Everyone, take care of your health'. Then, a computer algorithm was used to calculate the amount of drops compared without using a mask. The results of the study showed that the N95 mask - the type specialized for the frontline medical staff in hospitals - can reduce 99.9% of the drops.

Surgical masks or polypropylene materials are equally effective, preventing up to 90% of drops. Meanwhile, a fabric mask can reduce splashing by 70-90%, depending on the number of layers and folds. However, bandanas or headscarves only reduce the drop by about 50%, while fleece towels even increase the number of drops by dividing the large droplet into several smaller ones. Finally, an N-95 respirator with a breathing valve is as capable as a cloth mask in terms of splash prevention.

Study co-author Eric Westman concluded wearing a mask is still the best way to protect people from the SARS-CoV-2 virus rather than not wearing. Masks are important because about 30-40% of people infected with the virus show no symptoms, but can still pass the virus on to others by coughing, sneezing or talking.