A new study by Duke researchers has helped them create a technique that analyzes which face masks are most effective against covid-19. With the U.S. having the highest number of cases across the globe – yet continually reopening schools and other institutions – the findings are beyond critically important.
Health experts have been begging the American public to wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus, but it’s counterproductive if the masks being worn aren’t actually working.
A professor at Duke University’s School of Medicine first thought of the idea to test face masks’ effectiveness when helping a local group buy masks to disseminate to those in need, according to CNN.
“Researchers with Duke’s physics department demonstrated the use of a simple method that uses a laser beam and cell phone to evaluate the efficiency of masks by studying the transmission of respiratory droplets during regular speech,” CNN wrote.
“We use a black box, a laser, and a camera,” study author Martin Fischer told CNN. “The laser beam is expanded vertically to form a thin sheet of light, which we shine through slits on the left and right of the box.”
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On Friday, after testing 14 types of masks that are commonly worn 10 times each, researchers published the results from the study. It found some masks are nothing more than face decorations that do nothing to combat the virus.
The professionally fitted N95 masks were found to be most effective, followed by cotton masks and three-layer surgical masks; while bandanas, knitted masks and neck fleeces (worn by runners) were found to be least effective.
Fleece masks, in fact, created more droplets than not wearing any mask at all, according to researchers.
“We were extremely surprised to find that the number of particles measured with the fleece actually exceeded the number of particles measured without wearing any mask,” Fischer said. “We want to emphasize that we really encourage people to wear masks, but we want them to wear masks that actually work.”
They cautioned against people performing the test at home, but said mask manufacturers should test their products.
“This is a very powerful visual tool to raise awareness that a very simple masks, like these homemade cotton masks, do really well to stop the majority of these respiratory droplets,” Fischer said. “Companies and manufacturers can set this up and test their mask designs before producing them, which would also be very useful.”
