Cloth masks are trendy, but are they effective?

Whatever may seem trendy or popular does not necessarily work the best. 

By Anne Sun

During this time of socials distancing, we don’t have much of a chance to see friends or family that don’t live with us, but we still don’t want to look like a complete mess to them, right? Even if it’d be two meters away, with half our face covered, we still want to look at least a bit presentable. These days, cloth masks are all the rage. Almost every apparel store out there, brand name or not, sells cloth masks varying from $20 to over $140 dollars. If you don’t have the money to buy these overpriced pieces of cloth, you could even DIY one for yourself. But at the end of the day, we’re not really wearing those masks to look pretty; we’re wearing them to protect ourselves. Sure, cloth masks are trendy… but are they effective?

First, how do masks work?

The most common mask that we have seen people use during this period of the pandemic are surgical masks. These surgical masks all have a layer of a fibrous filter. In each filter the porosity, fibre diameter, and thickness play a role in how well the filter works. In simpler terms, filters are complicated.

If even now, you still find it confusing, just how well do masks exactly protect us from the pandemic, here is some evidence:

A study published by “Health Affairs” back in June 16th, compare the difference before and after 15 states in the USA issued mask mandates. This study proves that wearing masks slows the growth rate of COVID-19. During the first ten days of this mandate, the growth rate of COVID-19 slowed by 1.1%. By the third week the percentage had slowed by 2%.

(Do not underestimate 2%!)

One more study calculated the number deaths from COVID-19 throughout 198 countries. The result was that mask wearing policies issued in certain countries resulted in a lower number of deaths.

The answer to the question:

So… are cloth masks actually effective? Cloth masks are recommended by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as they absorb liquid particles and are reusable. For people who can’t get their hands on better masks they make a good alternative. However with its pros, there are still many cons. In most cases homemade masks simply aren’t as effective. Most people making masks don’t have enough knowledge about how filter layers in a mask work. People may think that just adding multiple layers of cloth would work, but they don’t realize that filters are complicated. It is not easy to create a mask that can both filter out particles and not have the filter affect breathing.

Won’t store-bought cloth masks work better? Using cloth masks, even if store-bought, still carry many risks. In one study, it was shown that a cloth mask can be penetrable by 40%-90% of particles. In a 2015 RCT study it was shown that using cloth masks resulted in higher infection rates than surgical masks. There is also a chance of self contamination if the wearer touches the mask with their bare hands. Cloth masks should only be used when no other masks are available. When you must wearing cloth masks, here are some things to remember:

• Always sanitize or wash your hands before and after you put the mask on and off
• Make sure your mask fits well on your face
• Don’t touch your mask when you wear it or while taking it off
• Prepare an extra mask in case your mask becomes dirty or wet
• Place your mask in a sealable bag if dirtied, and wash it when you can
• Remember to wash your mask with soap every time you finish using it

What masks work the best?

If cloth masks aren’t as protective as we thought, then what masks do we use? We first know that not all masks are usable for normal citizens. In fact if you want to use the most protective masks, the N95 mask, you would need to be a certified healthcare worker. The second most protective masks would be surgical masks. While you do not need to be certified to wear them, it is suggested that they should be used less and reserved for healthcare workers. However, surgical masks are the best choice of masks that are available to citizens. Even though they aren’t reusable they protect a lot better than cloth masks. Surgical masks not only filter large droplets from outside, but they also protect others around from the fluids of the mask wearer. If you really can’t get your hands on surgical masks, stay home unless you must go out, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Cloth mask wearers, do you understand the risk now?

Whatever may seem trendy or popular may not necessarily work the best. Before you decide to make another cloth mask, ask yourself a few questions:

Do I know what a fibrous filter is?

If you still don’t know what a fibrous filter is, don’t make a DIY mask.

Do I  understand how fibrous filters work?

If you didn’t understand fibrous filters, don’t make a DIY mask.

Do I know how to make a fibrous filter?

If you don’t know how to make a fibrous filter, don’t make a DIY mask.

In the end, masks are another protective layer. Like a shield, it protects us from COVID-19. Wearing a mask does NOT mean you don’t need social distancing. What really protects you from the spread of COVID-19 is personal hygiene and quarantine. When outside, be careful of what you touch, wash your hands as often as you can, sanitize yourself and try not to go to places with too many people.