Efficacy of Face Masks, Neck Gaiters and Face Shields for Reducing the Expulsion of Simulated Cough-Generated Aerosols

Details

• Personal Author:
  Beezhold, Donald H. ; Blanchere, Francoise M. ; Law, Brandon F. ; Lindsley, William G. ; Noti JD
• Description:
  Face masks are recommended to reduce community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. One of the primary benefits of face masks and other coverings is as source control devices to reduce the expulsion of respiratory aerosols during coughing, breathing, and speaking. Face shields and neck gaiters have been proposed as an alternative to face masks, but information about face shields and neck gaiters as source control devices is limited. We used a cough aerosol simulator with a pliable skin headform to propel small aerosol particles (0 to 7 microm) into different face coverings. An N95 respirator blocked 99% (standard deviation (SD) 0.3%) of the cough aerosol, a medical grade procedure mask blocked 59% (SD 6.9%), a 3-ply cotton cloth face mask blocked 51% (SD 7.7%), and a polyester neck gaiter blocked 47% (SD 7.5%) as a single layer and 60% (SD 7.2%) when folded into a double layer. In contrast, the face shield blocked 2% (SD 15.3%) of the cough aerosol. Our results suggest that face masks and neck gaiters are preferable to face shields as source control devices for cough aerosols. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aerosols Air Pollutants, Occupational Communicable Diseases Esters Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Polymers Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory System Safety Viral Diseases

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• Keywords:
  Airborne Particles Cloth Filters Control Equipment Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease Prevention Disease Transmission Equipment Testing Face Masks Infection Control Infection Prevention Infectious Diseases Materials Testing N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators Performance Capability Performance Tests Personal Protective Equipment PPE Protective Materials Respiratory Equipment Respiratory Protection SARS-CoV-2 Simulation Methods Surgical Masks Viral Diseases

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• ISSN:
  0278-6826
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  449-457
• Volume:
  55
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061741
• Citation:
  Aerosol Sci Technol 2021 Apr; 55(4):449-457
• Contact Point Address:
  William G. Lindsley, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 1000 Frederick Lane, M/S 4020, Morgantown, WV 26508-5402, USA
• Email:
  wlindsley@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2021
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Aerosol Science and Technology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:11a508ca32a1fcfed8c5818ae6e7077bb1a6a5042f4f5c5ca443a75e7f95de9d4920cbe5959e0f7aecd52a7886c94f204705f4e8f168f2bded513befbe0d4496
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225152/cdc_225152_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.93 MB ]