Mandates for mask use within public in the recent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, worsened by global shortage of economic supplies, have resulted in widespread use of homemade masks and mask alternatives. It is assumed that wearing such masks reduces the likelihood for an infected person to spread the condition, many these mask designs are not tested used. We have demonstrated a straightforward optical measurement solution to evaluate the efficacy of masks to reduce the transmission of respiratory droplets during regular speech.
In proof-of-principle studies, we compared a number of commonly available mask types and observed that some mask types approach the performance of ordinary surgical masks, although some mask alternatives, such as neck gaiters or bandanas, offer almost no protection. Our measurement setup is inexpensive and will be built and operated by nonexperts, enabling rapid evaluation of mask performance during speech, sneezing, or coughing.
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