Buzz
A new study suggests that neck gaiters like Buffs might actually be worse than going without a mask. While I’m skeptical of this study’s conclusions, it’s understandable to question Buffs, bandanas, and other face coverings that aren’t specifically made to function as masks.
(Just to clarify: Buff is a brand that produces slim, spandex-like neck gaiters, which have become widely recognized as “buffs.” They also offer a specially designed face mask, though that mask was not part of the study in question.)
If you're interested in learning more about face masks, check out the video below:
It’s been well-established that N95 respirators offer the highest level of protection for both the wearer and those around them. Surgical masks, those disposable medical types, are the next best option, containing most (but not all) of your respiratory droplets while also potentially shielding you from others.
Since N95s aren’t always accessible, cloth masks have become the go-to for most of us. Cloth masks offer similar protection to disposable procedure masks, though they might not be quite as effective.
Not all masks are created equal, however. As everyone scrambled to find cloth masks, various companies began marketing their own versions. Those selling gaiters promoted their gaiters, and companies offering masks with valves pushed those as the best option. But that doesn’t necessarily mean these are the most effective choices.
What this study found
Currently, there’s no perfect way to test if masks are ‘good enough’ to protect against the coronavirus. Medical masks undergo quality-control processes, but fashion masks don’t have such standards, nor do those you make or improvise at home.
A team of researchers from North Carolina recently published a paper about an affordable tool that can be used to test masks. The device is essentially a box with a laser and a smartphone camera; you place your masked face up to the box and speak into it. The laser light reflects off any droplets that come from your mouth (or don’t, depending on the mask’s effectiveness), and the camera records it.
The device doesn't measure if someone gets sick or if an infectious dose of the virus was transmitted; it simply detects droplets in the air. No coronavirus was part of this test.
To test the device, the researchers spoke into the box while wearing various masks. As anticipated, N95s produced very few droplets, surgical masks performed better, and cloth masks showed varying results depending on their materials and construction.
However, here's the major caveat: this was just a proof-of-concept to see if the box could detect droplets and distinguish them across different masks. It is not a definitive test of the masks themselves. In fact, the researchers stated in their conclusion:
Once again, we want to emphasize that the mask tests conducted here (one speaker for all masks and four speakers for selected masks) are only meant to demonstrate the device's capability. Variations between subjects are to be expected due to factors like differences in physiology, mask fit, head position, speech patterns, and so on.
What do we need to understand about the different types of masks?
First off, if something isn’t actually a mask, we shouldn't expect it to perform like one. Both the CDC and WHO recommend that a mask should fit snugly around your mouth and nose, which disqualifies buffs and bandanas tied like a bank robber’s mask. They also warn against using masks with exhalation valves, as these release contaminated air back into the environment.
None of this is new information. However, what is new in this study is the idea that a buff may actually be worse than nothing, because its loose weave appears to break larger droplets into smaller ones. That could pose a problem. See all those cautious phrases? That’s the most accurate way to describe the findings. While it’s possible that buffs might be worse than no mask at all, further research is needed. No one has investigated whether buffs increase the likelihood of getting sick.
I think it's worth reconsidering your use of a buff if you wear one. Many runners prefer having one around their neck to pull up if they pass by someone. We now have some data that suggests this might not be the best idea, but we already knew that a buff isn’t truly a mask—so perhaps we shouldn’t have been depending on them in the first place.
