Well, it’s a relief to know someone is studying masks, if they’re going to regulate our whole lives based on them.

Face Mask Construction, Materials Matter for Containing Coughing, Sneezing Droplets

Florida Atlantic University via Phys.org / June 30, 2020

Currently, there are no specific guidelines on the most effective materials and designs for facemasks to minimize the spread of droplets from coughs or sneezes to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. While there have been prior studies on how medical-grade masks perform, data on cloth-based coverings used by the vast majority of the general public are sparse.

With a folded cotton handkerchief, droplets traveled 1 foot, 3 inches. Credit for all photos: Florida Atlantic University, College of Engineering and Computer Science

With the cone-style mask, droplets traveled about 8 inches.

With the stitched quilted cotton mask, droplets traveled 2.5 inches.

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When the mannequin was not fitted with a mask, they projected droplets much farther than the 6-foot distancing guidelines currently recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The researchers observed droplets traveling up to 12 feet within approximately 50 seconds. Moreover, the tracer droplets remained suspended midair for up to three minutes in the quiescent environment. These observations, in combination with other recent studies, suggest that current social-distancing guidelines may need to be updated to account for aerosol-based transmission of pathogens.