MASK EFFECTIVENESS
Research from Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, demonstrated a method to assess the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing droplets. Without a mask, droplets traveled more than 8 feet; with a bandanna, they traveled 3 feet, 7 inches; with a folded cotton handkerchief, they traveled 1 foot, 3 inches; with the stitched quilting cotton mask, they traveled 2.5 inches; and with the cone-style mask, droplets traveled about 8 inches. The most efficient masks are N95. But N95 masks are in serious short supply for medical professionals, who are exposed to the highest levels of SARS-CoV-2 and are most in need of the strongest protection against the virus. The CDC does not recommend them for general use.