Does your favorite mask actually work? Researchers now have a way to tell.
Researchers found that simple multi-layered cloth masks and surgical masks work well enough to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Pixabay/)Until 2020, if your job or health didn’t require it, it’s likely that you never thought about wearing a protective face covering. Now, as the airborne coronavirus remains a threat in most of the world, how to wear a mask and which one is best are at the top of many people’s minds. According to a study out last week in Science Advances, there could be an easy way to test how superior a mask is. The study deployed an easy-to-replicate testing apparatus that the researchers hope could be copied by mask-makers to test their masks’ effectiveness. Their proof-of-concept results suggest that some masks may be superior to others. In the limited study, fleece gaiters, folded bandanas, and knitted masks all offered little protection from spreading airborne droplets that could contain...