Cloth Face Mask Research Citations

1. “It is possible that the discomfort in wearing associated with a certain type of masks will lead to reduced adherence and thus to a loss in overall protectiveness.” Professional and home-made face masks reduce exposure to respiratory infections among the general population. PloS one, 3(7), e2618.

2. “If a mask it does not fit well around the nose and mouth, or the material freely allows infectious aerosols to pass through it, then it will be of no benefit.” Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic? Disaster medicine and public health preparedness. 7. 413-418.

 3. “The bottom line is that medical masks must be preserved for healthcare workers.” Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2020/04/ccmoh-communication-use-of-non-medical-masks-or-facial-coverings-by-the-public.html

4. “Cloth masks enhanced with additional filtration can improve respiratory protection.” The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Volume 54, Issue 7, October 2010, Pages 789–798

5. “Any type of general mask use is likely to decrease viral exposure and infection risk on a population level.” Professional and home-made face masks reduce exposure to respiratory infections among the general population. PloS one, 3(7), e2618.

6. “CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.” CDC: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, March 2019.

7. “When worn properly, a person wearing a non-medical mask or face covering can reduce the spread of his or her own infectious respiratory droplets.” Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/instructions-sew-no-sew-cloth-face-covering.html

8. “Wearing a facial covering/non-medical mask in the community has not been proven to protect the person wearing it and is not a substitute for physical distancing and hand washing. However, it can be an additional measure you can take to protect others around you, even if you have no symptoms.” Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medical-devices/activities/announcements/covid19-notice-home-made-masks.html

8. “Wearing a non-medical mask...may be helpful in protecting others around you. Face coverings are another way to prevent respiratory droplets from contaminating other people or surfaces.” Government of Alberta: https://www.alberta.ca/prevent-the-spread.aspx

9. “CDC also advises the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.” CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

10. “The biggest challenge of choosing a homemade mask material is to find a fabric that is dense enough to capture viral particles, but breathable enough that we can actually wear it.” New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-DIY-face-mask-ppe.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

11. “Non-medical face masks or face coverings should:

• be made of at least 2 layers of tightly woven material fabric (such as cotton or linen)
• be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose and mouth without gaping
• fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops
• allow for easy breathing
• be comfortable and not require frequent adjustment
• be changed as soon as possible if damp or dirty
• maintain their shape after washing and drying”

Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/instructions-sew-no-sew-cloth-face-covering.html

12. "...a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection." https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_the_Efficacy_of_Homemade_Masks_Would_They_Protect_in_an_Influenza_Pandemic?fbclid=IwAR1urlbvVDNum_EicEW7hFxoV9B14YrFJi0gevbPrvkIv8nbfAOd0Q5FBC0

13. “Strict hygiene and public health measures, including frequent hand washing and physical (social) distancing, will reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus. Wearing a non-medical mask or face covering is an additional measure you can take to protect others around you, even if you have no symptoms. It can be useful for short periods of time, when physical distancing is not possible in public settings such as when grocery shopping or using public transit. Wearing a non-medical mask or face covering covers your mouth and nose to help prevent your respiratory droplets from contaminating others or landing on surfaces. Just like our recommendation not to cough into your hands (instead, cover your cough with tissues or your sleeve), a mask can reduce the chance that others are coming into contact with your respiratory droplets. If wearing a non-medical mask or face covering makes you feel safer and stops you from touching your nose and mouth, that is also good. But remember not to touch or rub your eyes.” Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks.html#p

14.  "The general use of face masks reduces the transmission rate in the community by an average of 40% and even by more than 50% in the over-60 age group."https://voxeu.org/article/unmasked-effect-face-masks-spread-covid-19

15. "A medical procedure mask can be layered underneath a cloth mask for improved fit and filtration." CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/mask-fit-and-filtration.html. 

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