Dr. James Laughlin of IU Health says he’s seen data that rates cloth masks as between 30 and 50 percent effective, and higher if you have two people wearing them. (Pixabay)
Medical experts generally recommend wearing a cloth mask to help slow the spread of coronavirus when going outside your home, as noted in yesterday's City Limits question and answer. An additional question we received asks: “How effective are masks?”
No one seems to know for sure. But two physicians on Noon Edition Friday addressed the question of why to wear a mask even in light of uncertainty about how effective they are.
“CDC guidelines are that everyone should wear some kind of protective covering over your face when you go out in public,” says Dr. Roshni Dhoot, a recent Indiana University Medical School graduate who will soon begin her residency at Duke University Hospital. “This doesn’t replace the need for social distancing or staying home when possible.”
She says while there’s no certainty how protective cloth masks are, they are recommended.
“Cloth masks are significantly more effective than nothing, and they become even more effective when everyone is wearing them,” she says.
Dr. James Laughlin of IU Health says he’s seen data that rates cloth masks as between 30 and 50 percent effective, and higher if you have two people wearing them.
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota says there’s no consensus on the effectiveness. It cites a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine paper published earlier this month that acknowledges “limited, indirect evidence from lab studies suggests that homemade fabric masks may capture respiratory droplets, but there is no evidence they impede the transmission of aerosols implicated in the spread of COVID-19.”
The academy’s paper further states: “…because no studies have been done on the effectiveness of cloth masks in preventing transmission of coronavirus to others, it is impossible to assess their benefits, if any.”
There is agreement that individuals should not use up more protective N-95 masks that are needed for hospitals treating sick patients.
Dhoot says when wearing a cloth mask, make sure to cover your nose and mouth; make sure the fit is tight; and have multiple layers of fabric. When you remove the mask use the elastic straps and wash the mask with soap and water between uses.
And in another study completed last week, researchers at Northeastern University say adding nylon stockings to a homemade face covering can improve the mask’s filtering capability and make it more effective.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here.
