In order to prevent the spread or lower the transmission of Covid 19, health agencies, physicians as well as doctors recommend wearing a mask. Wearing a mask is important in public settings where compliance with social distancing measures might be difficult to maintain. Grocery stores, job sites, pharmacies, etc. are the areas where the chances of community-based transmission are high. Therefore, wearing a face mask is necessary.
Tips for Choosing Right Cloth Face Mask
There is a huge variety of face masks in offline and online markets. Some people prefer buying surgical mask or respirator from a local store while some purchase designer face mask online. Nothing is wrong with this. The only thing that matters is the use of the right face mask. As per experts, surgical masks or respirators are ideal for medical staff or health care workers. General people could go for the cloth face masks.
Cloth face masks could protect you from the other’s expulsions that are larger spit droplets or sprays from the wayward sneeze of cough. However, the effectiveness of a mask depends on numerous aspects. The key aspects that play a vital role in the selection of a cloth face mask include
• Fabric
Fabric is a significant factor that you need to pay attention to. In fabric, it is crucial to consider the weave’s tightness. You would wish to weave to be tight so that you could not see individual fibre’s outline while holding material up to the light. It is worth noting that tighter is better.
The filtering experiments state that in comparison to synthetics, the performance of tightly woven 100% cotton is good.The reason behind that is cotton fibres have three-dimensional structures that create barriers to incoming and outgoing particles. One study suggests that by combining cotton’s one layer with the different materials, you could increase the multi-layer mask’s effectiveness.
• Fit
Another important aspect is fit. In case the mask doesn’t properly, no fabric or combination of fabrics would work as envisioned. As per research, the leakage from the sides of the mask could degrade the filtering efficiency. The key reason why N-95 face masks work well is the lack of leakage. In case you are purchasing a designer face mask online, do consider the fit.
A well-fitted face mask would hug the face as well as cover the nose and chin without any gaps. As the shape of every individual is different, you might end up trying different designs before purchasing one that feels comfortable and fits well. Masks with the bendable nose strip might also create a tight seal and hold it in place. Note, such masks could also prevent your glasses from fogging.
• Thickness
It is crucial to go for a reusable face mask with multiple layers. A well-fitting cloth face mask needs to have at least two layers of tightly-woven fabric. In case the mask has a third layer, it would be great as it would provide additional protection like the addition of the filter. While buying a designer face mask online, ensure you check the thickness.
Along with these, ensure you pay attention to ear loops. Many people often overlook this aspect. Face masks with the ear loop are convenient for use in comparison to the masks that users need to tie behind their heads. Maskswith comfortable stretch-fit ear loops are ideal for people who travel outdoors frequently.
