WHETHER you’re wearing a bandana, a scarf, a surgical mask or a homemade offering, face masks have been a hotly debated topic during the coronavirus pandemic.
The government announced this week that face masks and coverings are set to become mandatory in shops in England from July 24.
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In June, the use of masks and coverings was also made mandatory on public transport and many people have made their own versions from old t-shirts or by using bandanas and scarves.
While banadanas and scarves will give you some protection, experts have found they are not as effective as surgical masks.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says a three layer mask should be worn in the community in order to stop the spread of Covid-19.
And experts at the University of Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre have now said that Brits should avoid wearing certain masks if they want to stay protected.
Professor Melinda Mills said that coverings that “do not loop around the ears or neck” will be less effective.
She said: “We find that masks made from high-quality material such as high-grade cotton, multiple layers and particularly hybrid constructions are effective.
“For instance, combining cotton and silk or flannel provide over 95% filtration, so wearing a mask can protect others.”
The Royal Society says that even a home-made mask can help protect you from the virus.
A study based on mathematical modelling showed that if the entire population was to wear a masks or coverings that were just 75 per cent effective then it would bring the R rate down.
The R rate or the reproductive rate is the number of people an infected person passes the virus on to.
At the start of the pandemic the government urged people to not buy surgical personal protective equipment (PPE) and instead leave this for NHS workers on the frontline.
The government encouraged people to make their own masks at home from old t-shirt and socks.
Despite this, a study published last month found that while bandanas and scarves are better than nothing, they aren’t as effective as other coverings.
Researchers in Florida tested three types of masks and found that bandanas allowed particles to travel 3.5ft.
This is while commercial masks kept particles within 8 inches, and stitched cotton masks within 2.5 inches.
Researchers used a laser light sheet and a mixture of distilled water and glycerin to generate the content of a cough-jet.
They found that masks that had been loosely folded and the bandana style coverings provided minimal protection for the smallest droplets.
This is while masks that were well fitted to the face and had multiple layers, as well as the cone style masks, had the most protection.
Experts say bandanas can be made more effective if they are folded in half to create another layer of fabric for particles to get through.
Without a mask droplets travelled more than 2.4 metres, whereas with a bandanna they travelled around 1.1 metres.
With a folded handkerchief they travelled just 0.3 metres and with the quilted cotton masks this dropped down to just 2.5 inches.
Droplets coming from the cone mask travelled 8 inches.
Other experts however now say that masks and coverings can be split into two distinct groups: respirator masks which are designed primarily to protect the wearer, and cloth face coverings that could be considered to act more as breath diverting devices.
Writing in The Conversation, Simon Kolstoe, senior lecturer in evidence based healthcare and University ethics adviser at the University of Portsmouth said while not all face coverings are the same, it makes sense to wear one in public.
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