Disposable surgical masks significantly more effective than cloth masks, new research shows
Research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW)* has confirmed that disposable surgical masks are much more effective than cloth masks at minimising the spread of droplets.
UNSW researchers used a high-speed camera and LED lighting system to capture how different masks perform when people are speaking, coughing and sneezing.
The study found that a three-ply surgical mask was significantly better than a one-layered cloth mask at reducing droplet emissions. And, while a two-layered cloth mask was better than a one-layered cloth mask, it still wasn’t as effective as a surgical mask.
You can watch the video above, or by clicking here.
CrestClean’s General Manager of Training Liezl Foxcroft says this backs up research by Yale and Standford Universities that shows surgical masks are 95% effective, while cloth masks are just 37% effective.
“That’s why three-ply surgical masks are part of CrestClean’s ‘standard issue’ PPE,” she says.
“The masks we supply to our cleaning personnel are rated for their effectiveness and meet international standards of certification.”
The surgical masks sourced by CrestClean have been lab tested and are designed to filter out microscopic particles and protect the wearer’s respiratory system.
Fluid resistant to protect against airborne viruses transferred by water droplets, they have GB/T 32610-2016 Certification and 99.5% Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE), filtering particles as small as 3 microns.
*VIDEO: UNSW/ Thorax
AUTHORS: – C Raina MacIntyre, Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW; – Abrar Ahmad Chughtai, Epidemiologist, UNSW; – Charitha de Silva, Lecturer, UNSW; – Con Doolan, Professor, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW; – Prateek Bahl, PhD Candidate, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW, and; – Shovon Bhattacharjee, PhD Candidate, The Kirby Institute, UNSW
