This study, which compares the efficacy of cloth masks to medical masks in hospital healthcare workers (HCWs), says the following: ‘Cloth masks are used in resource-poor settings because of the reduced cost of a reusable option. Various types of cloth masks (made of cotton, gauze and other fibres) have been tested in vitro in the past and show lower filtration capacity compared with disposable masks.
‘The protection afforded by gauze masks increases with the fineness of the cloth and the number of layers, indicating potential to develop a more effective cloth mask, for example, with finer weave, more layers and a better fit.
‘Pandemics and emerging infections are more likely to arise in low-income or middle-income settings than in wealthy countries. In the interests of global public health, adequate attention should be paid to cloth mask use in such settings. The data from this study provide some reassurance about medical masks, and are the first data to show potential clinical efficacy of medical masks.’
Read here (NCBI, April 22, 2015)
