Proper fit of face masks is more important than material, says study

In order to provide the best protection against COVID19 the fit of a face mask is more important in some cases than the material it is made of according to a study which suggests new ways for manufacturers to test the effectiveness of masksWhile studies over the course of the COVID19 pandemic have shown the importance of wearing face masks in slowing the spread of the coronavirus the researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK said there is a lack of understanding about the role that good fit plays in ensuring their effectivenessThe study published in the journal PLoS ONE conducted a series of different fit tests and found that when a highperformance facemasks such as an N95 mask is not properly fitted it performs no better than a cloth maskAccording to the researchers minor differences in facial features such as the amount of fat under the skin make significant differences in how well a mask fitsThey said the fitcheck routine used in many healthcare settings has high failure rates as minor leaks may be difficult or impossible to detect by the wearerThe scientists hope their findings will help develop new fit tests that are quick and reliable in the case of future public health emergenciesWe know that unless there is a good seal between the mask and the wearers face many aerosols and droplets will leak through the top and sides of the mask as many people who wear glasses will be well aware of said the studys first author Eugenia OKelly from the University of CambridgeIn the study seven participants first evaluated N95 and KN95 masks by performing a fit checkThe participants then underwent quantitative fit testing which uses a particle counter to measure the concentration of particles inside and outside the mask while wearing N95 and KN95 masks surgical masks and fabric masksAccording to the scientists N95 masks offered higher degrees of protection than the other categories of masks testedHowever they said most N95 masks failed to fit the participants adequatelyThe scientists found that when fitted properly N95 masks filtered more than 95 per cent of airborne particles offering superior protectionBut they said in some cases poorlyfitted N95 masks were only comparable with surgical or cloth masksIts not enough to assume that any single N95 model will fit the majority of a population The most widelyfitting mask we looked at the 8511 N95 fit only three out of the seven participants in our study said OKellyThe researchers said the width of the flange of the mask the area of the material which comes in contact with the skin may be a critical feature to fitMasks which fit the greatest number of participants tended to have wider more flexible flanges around the border they addedSmall facial differences also have a significant impact on quantitative fit the study notedFitting the face perfectly is a difficult technical challenge and as our research showed small differences such as a centimetre wider nose or slightly fuller cheeks can make or break the fit of a mask said OKellyThe scientists believe their results will be of use for those who are working on new technologies and programmes to assess fitThey hope the findings would bring attention to the importance of fit in clinicalgrade masks especially if such masks are to be widely used by the publicThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever