Neck gaiters when used as a face-covering can be as effective as masks in reducing spread of respiratory droplets, according to a study carried out by scientists at the University of Georgia. The gaiters were compared to no mask at all, as well as to two-layer, washable, breathable cloth masks. Both masks and gaiters were made up of various materials.
Researchers from the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences sought to test the effectiveness of various face masks and gaiters in reducing the disbursement of respiratory droplets during speech.Neck gaiters when used as a face-covering can be as effective as masks in reducing spread of respiratory droplets, according to a study carried out by scientists at the University of Georgia. The gaiters were compared to no mask at all, as well as to two-layer, washable, breathable cloth masks. Both masks and gaiters were made up of various materials.#
The gaiters were compared to no mask at all, as well as to multiple two-layer, washable, breathable cloth masks (as recommended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent the spread of COVID-19). Masks were made of various materials (cotton and spandex). Gaiters were also made of various materials (polyester, spandex and nylon).
The study found that single-layer gaiters provided a 77 per cent average reduction in respiratory droplets compared to wearing no face covering at all. Two-layer masks provided an 81 per cent average reduction in respiratory droplets compared to wearing no face covering at all. Multi-layer gaiters provided a 96 per cent average reduction in respiratory droplets compared to wearing no face covering at all.
The results are consistent with results from a recent Virginia Tech study which showed layered neck gaiters provided similar performance to the cloth masks when tested on mannequins.
"Per CDC guidelines, using face covers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is of the utmost importance," Suraj Sharma, professor of Polymer, Fibre and Textiles Sciences in the FACS Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, who led the study said. "However, recent media reports have questioned the effectiveness of gaiters as face covers. We hope this study will provide valuable evidence and insight to help answer those questions. In sum, the level of protection provided by a face covering appears to be substantially driven by the number and quality of layers of material and not whether it's in the form of a gaiter or a mask."
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