tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/face-coverings-85479/articlesFace coverings – The Conversation2021-12-17T15:11:21Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1734902021-12-17T15:11:21Z2021-12-17T15:11:21ZCOVID: how the disease moves through the air<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437843/original/file-20211215-23-mvg91m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/aerosols-corona-viruses-indoors-3d-illustration-1827265097">Alexander Limbach/shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Masks have been a common sight all over the world since SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus, invaded our lives. We set out to investigate if they work. Our goal was to find out how the virus travels through the air in buildings so we could understand more about the risk of airborne infection – including whether masks can help to control the number of respiratory droplets in the air and therefore reduce transmission. </p>
<p>This is what we know so far.</p>
<p>As we talk, cough and breathe, a jet of air rushes out of our lungs through our mouth and nose – in the process, it gathers respiratory fluid from the lungs, throat, and mouth creating droplets which are then <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abd9149">emitted into the air</a>. High energy vocal activities, such as singing and coughing, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02786826.2021.1883544">increase the amount of droplets</a> and provide a greater force to propel these <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-bioeng-111820-025044">further into the space</a> around us. </p>
<p>Most of the droplets produced are tiny at less than five microns (a micron is a thousandth of a millimetre) – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2008.11.002">we call these aerosols</a>. Anything larger than this is called a droplet and these can be as large as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021850208001882?via%3Dihub">100 microns</a>.</p>
<p>Each breath, word or cough will produce many thousands or millions of aerosols and droplets over a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2008.11.002">spectrum of sizes</a>. Whatever their size, they are propelled forward in a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2763852/">cloud of warm humid air</a> from our mouth towards other people in a shared space. The larger droplets will tend to fall to the ground quickly due to gravity but smaller ones can remain suspended in the air for many hours.</p>
<p>Over the past 18 months, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in air samples in many different situations, most often in places like hospitals. Generally, PCR tests were used to assess whether SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present. The viral RNA molecules were <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab691/6343417">found in exhaled aerosols</a>, in numbers varying from the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/73/7/e1870/5868534">10s</a> to the <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/air-and-environmental-sampling-for-sarscov2-around-hospitalized-patients-with-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid19/2603FF55AA16BB839ED5A500DF62EFAE">100,000s</a> per cubic metre of room air.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/omicron-and-covid-boosters-everything-you-need-to-know-173694">Omicron and COVID boosters: everything you need to know</a>
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<h2>Infected people are the source</h2>
<p>We now know that asymptomatic infected people <a href="https://thorax.bmj.com/content/76/1/61">do not necessarily</a> have a lower viral load than those displaying symptoms. In both cases the amount of virus can be as little as a <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m1443">few thousand</a> or as many as <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30113-4/fulltext">hundreds of billions</a> of viral genomes in a millilitre of saliva or nose sputum, a proportion of which will be live virus. </p>
<p>Therefore, as a micron is a thousandth of a millimetre, we can work out that at the time when they leave the body there will probably be few virus particles in most aerosols of five microns – but there might be from tens to tens of thousands of virus particles in a 100-micron droplet. And each breath, word or cough will produce many thousands or millions of aerosols and droplets over a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2008.11.002">spectrum of sizes</a>.</p>
<p>Once exposed to the drier air outside our body, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ina.12297?casa_token=8-Q6047L2ecAAAAA%3AafO38_8fZ7H9XRpwNwMZwPVIkkoQzoRDuLfYova3LFf97LfjZf5VaxnnAEsFWPcwKYF1lb7jJmBRmZzU">fluid evaporates from the virus-laden larger droplets</a> which then become aerosols – the number of virus particles remains the same, but they are concentrated into a much smaller and lighter aerosol. That means that they can stay suspended in the air for hours and pose an infection risk.</p>
<h2>The risk of indoor settings</h2>
<p>We know that in a given room the amount of virus someone inhales is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132321000305?via%3Dihub">directly proportional</a> to the amount of virus emitted into the air by an infected person. In simple terms, the more virus is breathed out into a room, the more other people in the room will breathe it in.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man wearing face mask using mobile phone on a plane" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/438339/original/file-20211219-19-l6uojw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Wearing a face mask indoors can help to catch viral particles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-wearing-face-mask-using-phone-1793748499">Jaromir Chalabala/shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>The exact amount of virus a susceptible person inhales depends on several factors including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148749">proximity</a> to the infected person (or people) and time spent in the enclosed setting. The virus is more concentrated closer to the infected person, whereas at distances greater than two metres, the virus in the exhaled air will dissipate and become diluted within the room volume. But – and this is where the real danger lies – in poorly ventilated spaces the virus quantity can build up. So, if you spend longer in a room with virus laden air, you will <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360132321000305?via%3Dihub">inhale more virus</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-year-of-covid-vaccines-how-the-uk-pinned-its-hopes-on-the-jab-and-why-those-hopes-are-under-threat-171274">A year of COVID vaccines: how the UK pinned its hopes on the jab – and why those hopes are under threat</a>
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<h2>Masks catch viral particles</h2>
<p>It is <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n2729">challenging to exactly measure</a> the net benefit of masks on a population because of the vast <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/65774">variations in viral load</a> between people, whether they are singing, shouting or talking, the size of the indoor space and time spent in it. Masks make a relatively small difference when people release just a few viruses every hour because they were never releasing enough virus to infect another person. Likewise at the other end of the spectrum, reducing the emission from super-emitters still often results in high overall emission of virus. Wearing a mask will reduce the amount of virus emitted, but how much it helps is dependent on how much virus is being emitted in the first instance. </p>
<p>Therefore, there is <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj-2021-068302">no conclusive evidence</a> on their efficacy because it’s so hard to adjust for all the other variables which affect the level of transmission. </p>
<p>But even without certainty over the exact number of cases prevented by wearing a mask, we do know that they will <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163445321001353">definitely catch some of the virus</a> laden aerosols and droplets – and that <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ukhsa-face-coverings-and-covid-19-statement-from-an-expert-panel-14-october-2021">will have</a> an <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spi-b-spi-m-and-emg-considerations-for-potential-impact-of-plan-b-measures-13-october-2021">impact on reducing the number of infections</a>. </p>
<p>A mask is one of many weapons in our arsenal which also includes vaccination, social distancing, ventilation and hygiene. As the <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---7-december-2021">omicron variant</a> rapidly spreads, the case numbers are very worrying. It is more important than ever that we use all the means we have available to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173490/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lena Ciric receives funding from UKRI. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Abigail Hathway recieves funding from UKRI, Health and Safety Executive and Sheffield City Council. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benjamin Jones receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. He an affiliate of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Iddon receives funding from UKRI. He a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.</span></em></p>Masks definitely catch some of the virus laden aerosols and droplets - and that will reduce transmission between people and the number of cases of COVID-19.Lena Ciric, Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering, UCLAbigail Hathway, Senior lecturer, University of SheffieldBenjamin Jones, Associate Professor, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of NottinghamChris Iddon, Research associate, Built environment, University of NottinghamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1429592020-07-27T18:42:54Z2020-07-27T18:42:54ZA brief history of masks from the 17th-century plague to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349472/original/file-20200726-27-15ickde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C2991%2C2106&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People wear face masks as they pay for parking in Montréal, July 25, 2020.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As of July 18, it is mandatory to wear masks in <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-mandatory-masks-indoor-public-spaces-1.5647203">indoor public spaces in Québec</a> following similar edicts across the country. </p>
<p>While inspired by growing evidence that masks can reduce the spread of COVID-19, this seems deeply ironic in a province so opposed to face coverings that <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec-bill-62-explainer/article36700916/">Québec passed legislation that forbade people from receiving certain government services if their face was covered</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/quebecs-niqab-ban-uses-womens-bodies-to-bolster-right-wing-extremism-86055">Quebec's niqab ban uses women's bodies to bolster right-wing extremism</a>
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<p>The Toronto Transit Commission <a href="https://www.ttc.ca/COVID-19/Masks.jsp">made face coverings mandatory at the beginning of July</a>. And yet, just three years ago, TTC workers <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ttc-operators-say-they-were-sent-home-for-wearing-medical-masks-1.3386592">were forbidden from wearing masks to protect themselves against air pollution in the subway system</a>. The TTC also <a href="https://archive.macleans.ca/article/2003/4/14/is-this-your-best-defence">instructed its workers not to wear masks during the 2003 SARS epidemic in Toronto</a>. </p>
<p>Clearly, our discomfort about wearing masks in the midst of a pandemic has deep roots.</p>
<h2>Bad smells and bird beaks</h2>
<p>Medical mask-wearing has a long history. In the past few months, pictures of the <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/505090/doctors-didnt-actually-wear-beaked-masks-during-black-plague">beaked masks that doctors wore during the 17th-century plague epidemic</a> have been circulating online. At the time, disease was believed to spread through miasmas — bad smells that wafted through the air. The beak was stuffed with herbs, spices and dried flowers to ward off the odors believed to spread the plague.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An excerpt from a textbook showing an image of a plague mask — which resembles a bird's head - from the 17th century." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=804&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349471/original/file-20200726-33-g0oq5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1010&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Mask worn by a doctor at the end of the 17th century when visiting those afflicted by the plague.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/j9xmv3br">(Wellcome Collection)</a></span>
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<p>In North America, before the 1918 influenza epidemic, surgeons wore masks, as did nurses and doctors who were treating contagious patients in a hospital setting. But during the flu epidemic, cities around the world passed mandatory masking orders. Historian Nancy Tomes argues that mask-wearing was embraced by the American public as “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549101250S308">an emblem of public spiritedness and discipline</a>.”</p>
<p>Women accustomed to knitting socks and rolling bandages for soldiers quickly took to mask-making as a patriotic duty. That said, the enthusiasm for mask-wearing waned quickly, as Alfred W. Crosby showed in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511586576"><em>America’s Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918</em></a>.</p>
<h2>Canadian reluctance and Japanese willingness</h2>
<p>In her study of the 1918 flu in Canada, historian Janice Dickin McGinnis argued that <a href="https://doi.org/10.7202/030824ar">masks were “widely unpopular” and that even in places with mandatory masking orders in place, people often failed to wear them or just pulled them on when police appeared</a>. </p>
<p>Public health officers were dubious about the value of masks. In Alberta, for example, the flu first appeared at the beginning of October 1918. By the end of the month, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20311354">the province ordered everyone to wear a mask outside of their homes, to be removed only in the case of eating</a>. In just four weeks, the order was rescinded. </p>
<p>The Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton reported that practically no one wore a mask thereafter, except in hospitals. In his view, the rapid spread of the disease after the mask order was put into effect made the order an object of “ridicule.”</p>
<p>In Japan, by contrast, the public embraced mask-wearing during the Spanish flu. According to sociologist Mitsutoshi Horii, <a href="http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/ejcjs/vol14/iss2/horii.html">mask-wearing symbolized “modernity.”</a> In the post-war era, Japanese people continued to wear masks to prevent the flu, only stopping in the 1970s when flu vaccines became widely available. In the 1980s and 1990s, mask-wearing increased to prevent allergies, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1081-1206(10)63532-6">as allergy to cedar pollen became a growing problem</a>. In the late 1980s, the effectiveness of flu vaccinations declined and wearing a mask to avoid influenza resumed.</p>
<p>Mask-wearing skyrocketed in the early years of the 21st century with the outbreak of SARS and avian influenza. The Japanese government recommended that all sick people wear masks to protect others, while they suggested that healthy people could wear them as a preventative measure. Horii argues that mask-wearing was a “neoliberal answer to the question of public health policy” in that it encouraged people to take individual responsibility for their own health. </p>
<p>When H1N1 hit Japan in 2009, it first struck tourists who had returned from Canada. The sick were blamed for failing to wear masks while abroad. In a country that takes etiquette very seriously, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/life/health_wellness/2009/04/26/whats_behind_the_surgical_mask_courtesy.html">wearing masks in Japan has become a form of politeness</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two Japanese Harajuku girls in pink dresses wear face masks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/349473/original/file-20200726-21-1dvx5nl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In Japan, wearing a face mask is a widespread practice.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Draconiansleet/flickr)</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>A century of Chinese mask-wearing</h2>
<p>Similarly, in China, mask-wearing has a long history. A pneumonic plague epidemic in China in 1910-11 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/01459740.2017.1423072">sparked widespread mask-wearing there</a>. After the Communists came to power in 1949, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2014.923815">there was intense fear of germ warfare, leading many to wear masks</a>. In the 21st century, the SARS epidemic intensified mask-wearing, as did the smog that blanketed many Chinese cities. The Chinese government <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-018-0441-y">urged its citizens to protect themselves against pollution by wearing masks</a>.</p>
<p>During the COVID-19 epidemic, some of <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/01/29/coronavirus-chinatown-toronto/">the first people in Canada to wear masks</a> were <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3047964/those-asian-people-wearing-face-masks-amid-coronavirus-fears-they-arent">people with ties to Asia</a>, who were already accustomed to the practice of masking. </p>
<p>One of the first cases of COVID-19 in Canada was that of a <a href="https://london.ctvnews.ca/western-university-student-is-fourth-coronavirus-case-in-canada-1.4792371">student at Western University</a> who had visited her parents in Wuhan over the Christmas break. On the flight back to Canada, she wore a mask. She self-isolated upon her arrival in Canada and when she became sick, she showed up at the hospital wearing a mask. She did not infect anyone else.</p>
<h2>Crafting masks</h2>
<p>Long before <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/06/24/10-most-popular-face-masks-etsy-vera-bradley-old-navy-and-more/3249728001/">Etsy crafters and Old Navy began producing fashionable masks for the North American market</a>, colourful masks were available in India, Taiwan, Thailand and other Asian countries. During the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong, the <em>New York Times</em> reported that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/31/world/a-deadly-virus-on-its-mind-hong-kong-covers-its-face.html">consumers could purchase masks with Hello Kitty and other cartoon characters, as well American flag masks meant to show the wearer’s support for democracy</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CBmOHJGjl2g","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>Ironically, given that the masks are intended to protect others, mask-wearing has made Asians in Canada a target of racist attacks. In the early days of COVID-19, <a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/6/21166625/coronavirus-photos-racism">Western media outlets featured Asians wearing masks as a harbinger of the epidemic</a>. Asians wearing masks have been <a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/6/21166625/coronavirus-photos-racism">verbally</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/go-back-to-where-mother-daughter-duo-fight-back-against-alleged-racist-taunts-in-richmond-1.5565451">physically attacked</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/unmasking-the-racial-politics-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-139011">Unmasking the racial politics of the coronavirus pandemic</a>
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<h2>Contentious choices</h2>
<p>Controversies over masks continue. On July 15, a man died after a confrontation with the Ontario Provincial Police after <a href="https://www.cp24.com/news/fatal-police-involved-shooting-started-with-assault-call-over-mask-at-ontario-grocery-store-opp-1.5025475">he reportedly assaulted staff at a grocery store who insisted he wear a mask</a>. Some Canadians complain that <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/7152424/psychology-behind-anti-masks/">masks are uncomfortable, unnecessary, harmful to their own health or ineffective</a>. </p>
<p>Masks can be a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-020-0884-z">visual representation of the threat of COVID-19 and make people feel more fearful; an “optimism bias” can make people reluctant to wear masks because they think that the novel coronavirus will not affect them</a>. There are also real concerns that masks impede communication for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.16488">frail elders</a> and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/16/masks-are-barrier-against-virus-they-also-pose-major-hurdle-deaf-people/">hearing impaired</a>. </p>
<p>But support for mask-wearing <a href="https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-07-masks-canada.html">appears to be growing</a>. In the face of a serious health threat, Canadians are wisely following the lead of Asian countries.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/142959/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Catherine Carstairs receives funding from the University of Guelph's COVID-19 Research Development and Catalyst Fund.</span></em></p>The COVID-19 pandemic is not the first time people have been required to wear face masks for protection. Mask-wearing has a long history, and reflects society’s sense of shared responsibility.Catherine Carstairs, Professor, Department of History, University of GuelphLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1431512020-07-23T09:24:34Z2020-07-23T09:24:34ZAbout-face: politicians switch from vilifying burqas to mandating masks<p>People in the UK will be soon be required by law to wear masks in shops to prevent the spread of coronavirus. This follows the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/face-coverings-to-become-mandatory-on-public-transport">introduction of mandatory face coverings</a> on public transport in June. </p>
<p>There is <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext#%20">evidence</a> that supports the public health benefits of wearing face coverings in public. But the UK government and public have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/world/europe/uk-coronavirus-masks-mandate.html">slow to accept masks</a> as a pillar of the country’s coronavirus strategy. This should perhaps come as no surprise after two decades of negative messaging about face coverings, largely targeting Muslim women.</p>
<p>Since 9/11, Muslims in the west have endured constant scapegoating and vilification for their religious and lifestyle choices. This includes the wearing of the hijab, burqa, and niqab – different types of hair and face covering. </p>
<p>These garments have been attacked by politicians, including the UK prime minister himself, often characterised as impeding communication, being non-British and representing an anti-western patriarchal culture. </p>
<h2>Banning the burqa, mandating the face mask</h2>
<p>The fact that Boris Johnson is now calling for face coverings to be imposed is particularly ironic given his past comments on the subject.</p>
<p>When he was foreign secretary in 2018, Johnson <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/05/denmark-has-got-wrong-yes-burka-oppressive-ridiculous-still/">wrote in his column in the Telegraph newspaper</a> that while he opposed a ban on Muslim face coverings, he nonetheless felt “entitled” to see the faces of his constituents, and likened women who wore the niqab to letterboxes and bank robbers. “Human beings must be able to see each other’s faces and read their expressions,” he wrote. “It’s how we work.”</p>
<p>These beliefs are not restricted to the Conservative Party. In 2006, Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2006/10/05/straw-sparks-muslim-veil-outrage-256394/">wrote</a> about his encounter with a Muslim couple, including a woman who covered her face, describing the “incongruity between the … entirely English accent, the couple’s education (wholly in the UK) - and the fact of the veil”. In doing so, he further cemented the notion that face coverings cannot be English. </p>
<p>For at least a decade there have been calls to ban Muslim face coverings in the UK. In the aftermath of the Brexit referendum in 2016, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/islam-muslim-veil-burka-ban-burkini-poll-uk-britain-france-a7218386.html">more than half the British population</a> said they supported a burqa ban. Many countries across Europe have done so despite <a href="https://theconversation.com/so-few-muslim-women-wear-the-burqa-in-europe-that-banning-it-is-a-waste-of-time-82957">negligible numbers of people</a> who are affected by such a policy. </p>
<p>In an act of arguable hypocrisy, France, the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/09/14/france.burqa.ban/?hpt=T1">first country</a> to ban face coverings in 2011, made them <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53471497">mandatory</a> this month to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Face masks are now required in all indoor public spaces in France from August, but the burqa remains banned. </p>
<p>This means <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CAxuI4Jg4JP/">fines</a> can be imposed for those who are not covering their face, but also for those whose face coverings are deemed to be religious in nature. In the UK, however, religious clothing can be used as the mandatory face covering in shops.</p>
<h2>Face coverings and ‘freedom’</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/masks-help-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus-the-science-is-simple-and-im-one-of-100-experts-urging-governors-to-require-public-mask-wearing-138507">evidence</a> for wearing a face mask in public to prevent the spread of coronavirus is clear, and research has shown that most face coverings, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-how-you-sound-when-you-talk-through-a-face-mask-139817">including the niqab</a>, do not impede communication. </p>
<p>But the repeated association of Muslim women’s dress with lacking freedom and being controlled seems to have resulted in a psychological barrier around the use of masks. In a recent <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/north-carolina-takeout-customer-refuses-wear-mask-invokes-trump-2020-1517365">viral video</a>, an American woman screams, “We don’t cover our face in America. They don’t control us. We’re Americans!” </p>
<p>There are also echoes of the association between face coverings and stereotypes of “submissive” Muslim women. A recent <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-how-coronavirus-is-changing-science-137641">preprint</a> study – which has yet to be peer-reviewed – shows that men are <a href="https://psyarxiv.com/tg7vz/">less likely to wear a face mask</a>, with some believing it to be a “sign of weakness”.</p>
<p>In a bizarre act of parallel solidarity, many anti-maskers are protesting with the phrase, “<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/gop-lawmaker-my-body-my-choice-facemasks-1513121">My body, my choice</a>” – a feminist slogan about bodily autonomy that <a href="https://www.thelocal.fr/20200219/my-body-my-choice-muslim-women-in-france-on-why-they-wear-the-headscarf">Muslim women have used</a> to demand their right to cover their face or hair. </p>
<p>The truth is that Muslim women have always had agency in their choice of what they wear, and the reasons for their choices are manifold, as <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Family-Citizenship-and-Islam-The-Changing-Experiences-of-Migrant-Women/Ahmed/p/book/9780367597191">my research has shown</a>. Some women may well be pressured by their husbands to wear the hijab, just as some western women are pressured to dress in ways they don’t want to by their partners. This is an issue of misogyny, not one of religion. </p>
<p>Now we find ourselves in a situation where politicians, who have sought to use the personal dress codes of Muslim women to portray them as pitiful and controlled, have a battle on their hands to convince the population that masks do not restrict communication, are not a sign of coercion, and are actually a marker of being part of an integrated community where people care for each other. </p>
<p>As we move towards face masks becoming more widely accepted, we can only hope the positive messages of unity that are associated with preventing coronavirus infection now can persist in the longer term and be extended to all who cover their faces, no matter the reason.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143151/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nilufar Ahmed does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Boris Johnson has attacked Muslim women for covering their faces. Now he wants the whole of the UK to do so.Nilufar Ahmed, Lecturer in Social Sciences, University of BristolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1361222020-04-16T12:20:22Z2020-04-16T12:20:22ZMaking masks at home – what you need to know about how to reduce the transmission of coronavirus<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328188/original/file-20200415-153330-1peugts.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5751%2C3802&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Homemade masks will not filter the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but may prevent transmission of droplets and spray between individuals.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/search/stack/798222728?assettype=image&family=creative&uiloc=view_all_same_series_adp">Nikola Stojadinovic/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to use <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html">cloth face coverings</a> to help slow the spread of COVID-19 has generated numerous how-to articles and videos. As academics who focus on personal protective equipment (PPE) research and development, we are concerned about the lack of information about two critical features of home mask design: fit and fabric selection. </p>
<h2>The reality of particle size</h2>
<p>Virus particles are tiny, ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 micron. A size 40 micron particle is visible with the naked eye – anything smaller, you need specialized equipment to see it. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=725&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=725&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327352/original/file-20200412-123487-d49vpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=725&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">SARS-CoV-2 virus in comparison to other known particles (not to scale).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan Sokolowski</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Protective masks like the N95 are designed to prevent virus particles from flowing in and out of the mask. Due to <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks">current shortages</a>, N95 masks should be reserved for COVID-19 health care workers only.</p>
<h2>Better than nothing</h2>
<p>Homemade masks cannot block or filter the SARS-CoV-2 virus, because it can easily flow through every common material people have at home. However, a homemade mask is still better than none at all. If made correctly, a homemade mask can reduce the transmission of the virus from the wearer to others by impeding large droplets and spray produced by a cough or sneeze. It can also reduce the transmission of the virus from others to the wearer.</p>
<h2>Fit</h2>
<p>Masks should completely cover the nose and mouth. When measuring for a mask pattern, make sure it extends from the top of the nose – as close as possible to the eyes without obstructing sight – to under the chin. Masks should cover the face side-to-side, well past the opening of the mouth. </p>
<p>When developing prototypes, check around all edges of the mask for gaps. If you see any, close them up by pinching the fabric together, and stitch or tape or staple edges together to create a pleat or dart. A thin metal wire or paper clip placed along the top edge of the mask can stabilize and shape it along the bridge of the nose and cheekbone for a closer fit.</p>
<p>Masks should stay securely in position and fit comfortably with ties or elastic ear loops. If the mask is too tight or loose, the wearer may continuously adjust the mask forgetting the admonition – “Don’t touch your face!” </p>
<p>The ties and loops should also be the <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks">mechanism for taking off the mask</a>, as the front of the mask might be contaminated.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=261&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=261&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=261&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=328&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=328&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327373/original/file-20200412-51445-1bizpy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=328&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A properly fitting mask.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Arlys Dayton</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Fabric selection</h2>
<p>People have varying access to different fabrics at home. Masks should incorporate fabrics that:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Reduce virus transmission to and from the nose and mouth </p></li>
<li><p>Wrap around the face and are comfortable next to the skin</p></li>
<li><p>Are easy to wash and sanitize. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Fabric is comprised of four variables that must be considered for mask making: fiber, yarn, structure and finish. Change a variable - and mask performance changes. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=111&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=111&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=111&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=139&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=139&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327357/original/file-20200412-51445-1fedkyn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=139&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Variables that make up a fabric.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan L. Sokolowski and Karen L. LaBat</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fibers are the smallest component of a fabric. They cannot be identified by sight or touch. Look for a fiber content label on the products or fabrics you might use for your mask. Alternately, a “<a href="https://info.fabrics.net/fabric-facts/fabric-identification/">burn test</a>” can be used as a crude method to determine if a fabric is a natural fiber, human-made fiber, or a blend of natural and man made fibers. If you choose this method be careful. </p>
<p>There are three important fiber characteristics to consider for mask making. The first is micron size – the diameter of a fiber. The SARS-CoV-2 virus particle is 0.1 to 0.3 micron, so small-sized fibers allow for more compact fabric structures to reduce transmission. The second is how the fiber feels next to skin – this will indicate how comfortable a mask may feel next to your face. The third is moisture regain – how well the fiber absorbs moisture. A higher number means more absorbency; low regain gives a sense of how well the fiber might repel moisture. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=550&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327553/original/file-20200413-141787-1n5mjcf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=691&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Generic fiber characteristics and mask considerations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan L. Sokolowski and Karen L. LaBat</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fibers are twisted together to form yarns. Yarns vary in size affecting fabric thickness and breathability. “Yarn count” is the number of yarns in a 1-inch square of woven fabric. A high yarn count fabric indicates a dense fabric with droplet blocking potential. Yarns with different properties can be blended to combine characteristics. </p>
<p>Yarns are then structured into the physical fabric.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=216&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=216&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=216&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328199/original/file-20200415-153351-pe774v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=271&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Types of fabric.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan L. Sokolowski and Karen L. LaBat</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=205&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=205&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=205&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=258&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=258&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328190/original/file-20200415-153351-kzlaym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=258&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Structures and mask considerations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan L. Sokolowski and Karen L. LaBat</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Performance finishes, like water repellency and antimicrobials, are not visible but could be helpful. Detect water repellency or moisture wicking by using an eye dropper to place a drop of water on a fabric to see how it moves across the fabric. Aesthetic finishes like graphics and batik are not so useful. </p>
<h2>Put it all together</h2>
<p>There are many fabric variables to reckon with for a homemade mask. Consider building a three-layer system.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=181&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=181&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=181&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=227&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=227&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/327818/original/file-20200414-117598-1s2srlb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=227&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Three-layer mask system considerations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Susan L. Sokolowski and Karen L. LaBat</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This three-layer system includes a space between the inner and outer layers for a removable middle layer. A replaceable “filter” is inserted in that space. If one fabric layer is too thin, add additional layers for protection. </p>
<p>Homemade masks will not filter the SARS-CoV-2, however, masks may prevent droplets and spray from transmitting between individuals. When wearing a mask, remember to continue social distancing, wash hands frequently and wipe down surfaces and packages.</p>
<p>[<em>Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=upper-coronavirus-facts">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.</a>]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/136122/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>At-home mask makers should carefully consider fit and fabric variables when designing face coverings to help prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2.Susan L. Sokolowski, Director & Associate Professor of Sports Product Design, University of OregonKaren L. LaBat, Professor Emerita of Design, University of MinnesotaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.