Neck Gaitors and Bandanas Being Banned: Hospitals and doctor's offices in NJ will be banning neck gaitors and bandanas. They're not effective at preventing the spread of covid-19. I'm...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Hospitals and doctor's offices in NJ will be banning neck gaitors and bandanas. They're not effective at preventing the spread of covid-19.

I'm concerned that the infected numbers in local counties (Ulster and Dutchess) are on the rise again.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

jerryc41 wrote:

Hospitals and doctor's offices in NJ will be banning neck gaitors and bandanas. They're not effective at preventing the spread of covid-19.

I'm concerned that the infected numbers in local counties (Ulster and Dutchess) are on the rise again.

It's been shown that these are worse then not wearing anything.
Droplets of breath are made even smaller when passed through the cloth of these materials.

ELNikkor

besides, they make the wearers look like 1850 train robbers...

tairving Loc: Magnolia, Texas USA

The objection appears to be due to the type of material they are made of rather than the design of the mask. My primary mask is of the style called "neck gaitor" but includes a substantial filter sewn in front of my mouth and nose. The usual style masks do not fit well over my (substantial) nose and beard. I have tried many and cannot get them to seal well around my nose and beard. So, for me the neck gaitor is a device to hold my filter in place.

RustyM

Soul Dr. wrote:

It's been shown that these are worse then not wearing anything.
Droplets of breath are made even smaller when passed through the cloth of these materials.

Actually, the study found that gaiters were worse than wearing nothing, but It showed that bandanas are simply not as effective as other types of masks.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

Soul Dr. wrote:

It's been shown that these are worse then not wearing anything.
Droplets of breath are made even smaller when passed through the cloth of these materials.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

tairving wrote:

The objection appears to be due to the type of material they are made of rather than the design of the mask. My primary mask is of the style called "neck gaitor" but includes a substantial filter sewn in front of my mouth and nose. The usual style masks do not fit well over my (substantial) nose and beard. I have tried many and cannot get them to seal well around my nose and beard. So, for me the neck gaitor is a device to hold my filter in place.

I have a beard, but it is small enough that the cloth masks made by my sister work just fine. I hear she has just mailed her third design.

I am wearing one right now as a sit in waiting room for my Dermatologist {I need more minor surgery for pre-cancerous face spots}

avflinsch Loc: Hamilton, New Jersey

This unfortunately a knee jerk reaction to a misinterpretation of the original study (which actually only a pre-published article).

The study was describing a novel method of testing the masks, and not the actual effectiveness of the masks and this is noted in the article. The article also specifically states that there are several other limitations to the methods used (typical weasel wording in scientific journals). Most notably the majority of the testing was done by using a single individual as the droplet source.

The real interesting thing about the article was how they did the measurement using a cheap laser and a cell phone --

if anyone is interested in obtaining a copy of the actual article, let me know.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

avflinsch wrote:

This unfortunately a knee jerk reaction to a misin... (show quote)

I presume you have read the study in its entirety (https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/08/07/sciadv.abd3083)

The device used was actually designed by the NIH and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmc2007800)

The study was quite clear about the limitations, but also includes an extensive bibliography of 16 references which I suggest you may wish to read if you desire to expand your knowledge of the subject. This is by no means the only study - there have been many others by well known academic institutions. Taken as a whole, the conclusions are clear - masks can substantially reduce the spread of droplets, and there are very real differences in the effectiveness of different mask types.

avflinsch Loc: Hamilton, New Jersey

yep, that is the article - what I take exception to is the way that it was reported in the press.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

jerryc41 wrote:

Hospitals and doctor's offices in NJ will be banning neck gaitors and bandanas. They're not effective at preventing the spread of covid-19.

I'm concerned that the infected numbers in local counties (Ulster and Dutchess) are on the rise again.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

If your Nose isn't covered, you're only half-mASSked!

Dan Thornton Loc: Corpus Christi, Texas

I like the Lone Ranger style mask.

Stephan G

TriX wrote:

I presume you have read the study in its entirety ... (show quote)

Many people do not know or understand the physics involved in designing filters. The gamut runs from coarse filtration to specific filtration. Also misunderstood is how staging filters operate. The variants are of the numbers that it becomes crucial to specifically be defined. For example, many fabrics are loose weave, being problematic as to what is affected.

avflinsch Loc: Hamilton, New Jersey

TriX wrote:

The study was quite clear about the limitations, but also includes an extensive bibliography of 16 references which I suggest you may wish to read if you desire to expand your knowledge of the subject.

In order to read half of the articles that I need to read, let alone the additional ones that I want to read would require a 9 day week of 36 hour days.