Depending on the fabric and number of layers, homemade and simple cloth masks have a range of effectiveness that can be as low as 26%, which leaves the wearer vulnerable.
“So we were arguing that actually in those settings, cloth masks alone are not going to block aerosols.”.
Karan is not the only expert who has been vocal in support of better quality masks for the general public.Scott Gottlieb wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that “encouraging Americans to wear higher-quality masks is a simple step that might make a difference.”.
Earlier this week, Germany and France mandated that all citizens wear high filtration masks like the N95 in all public places.
After months of treating coronavirus patients, Karan says it’s time to invest in making sure masks people wear are even more effective.“Focus on getting better masks to as many people as possible, focus on the messaging around masks, be consistent with your messaging, make masks part of American culture to stop the epidemic.”.
The key here is to always wear a mask whenever you’re in public