Five Ways To Reduce Gaps in a Face Mask
Updated: Oct 4, 2020
Just a few gaps in a face mask can reduce filtration efficiency by 50 percent, a new study found, after simulating the effect of gaps by drilling holes into various material-combinations commonly used to make face masks for consumer use. The good news: several U.S. researchers have reported on cloth fabric combinations that are good at filtering particles--as long there's no gaps. Moreover, a free reference guide on basic standards for consumer face masks has been made available June 17 by the EU. The guide ensures breathe ability and good filtration via minimum requirements and testing methods for making quality consumer face masks. The EU defines "consumer or community face masks" as not included in the scope of of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices (MD) that have long been regulated both in the EU and the US.
If your still not convinced these invisible droplets exist, scroll down on the ScienceNewsService.com home page to see the NIH video showing how strong laser-technology lights up speech droplets like an invisible fireworks display. And see the SNS YouTube video about the tipping point where droplet size transitions from temporarily airborne to saliva-size that falls flat here.

Photo Credit: Rhode Island National Guardsmen sew face masks to ensure guardsmen had the masks required to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the force. Photo Credit: Army National Guard PFC David Connors.