Most blue surgical face masks used by many during the pandemic are not enough to avoid people from being infected with COVID-19, an alarming new study has found.
The study from the University of Waterloo in Canada showed N95 or KN95 masks did the best job in containing aerosol droplets from the wearer’s mouth.
The blue, cloth surgical masks that have become popular during the pandemic were found be only 10 percent effective as it doe not cover the face properly.
‘There is no question it is beneficial to wear any face covering, both for protection in close proximity and at a distance in a room,’ study leader Serhiy Yarusevych, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, said in a statement.
‘However, there is a very serious difference in the effectiveness of different masks when it comes to controlling aerosols.’
Yarusevych team added that ventilation tests revealed even modest ventilation rates provide about the same level of protection as the highest quality masks.