Aim: Face masks are an important addition to our arsenal in the fight against COVID-19. The aim of this study is to present a novel method of measuring mask performance which can simultaneously assess both fabric penetration and leakage due to poor fit. Materials & methods: A synthetic aerosol is introduced into the lung of a medical dummy. A conical laser sheet surrounds the face of the dummy where it illuminates the aerosol emitted during a simulated breath. The system is demonstrated with five mask types. Conclusions: The curved laser sheet highlights both penetration through the mask fabric and leakage around the edges of the mask. A large variation in both material penetration and leakage was observed. Graphical abstract Tweetable abstract Face masks are an effective means of stemming the spread of COVID-19. However, mask performance varies considerably depending on the fabric from which they are made, and how they fit on the face.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Coronaviruses, Masks, droplets, Aerosols, face coverings, 【초록키워드】 Variation, lung, Mask, breath, face, Abstract, material, penetration, FIVE, effective, highlight, spread of COVID-19, addition, introduced, demonstrated, 【제목키워드】 Efficacy, dependent on,