Cloth Face Masks

by: Erin Walker, ND

Cloth face masks do not stop viruses. There is plenty of research (and some simple math) to prove it. Let us proceed with a few basic facts:

 Viruses are Small

• Flu Virus is 80-120 nanometers^[1]
  • 1 nanometer is 0.000001 millimeters
  • 100 nanometers is 0.0001 millimeters
• Rhinovirus (think common cold) is smaller, around 30 nanometers^[1]
• SARS-CoV2 is 50-200 nanometers^[2]

Cloth Masks Have Large Pores

Comparatively speaking, the weave gaps in cloth coverings are large. These gaps can not block viral penetration:^[3][4]

• The pores in cotton can be up to 100 microns in size (which is 0.1 millimeters).^[5]
• mathematically speaking, you could technically fit 1000 flu viruses into a single pore of cotton weave fabric.
  • (simple math : 1000 * 0.0001 = 0.1)

Cloth Masks & Respiratory Droplets

What about respiratory droplets?  Yes, face masks can catch large, respiratory droplets, which viruses can be attached to.^[6]

Cloth masks do not stop all respiratory droplets, however. So, the best a cloth face mask has to offer is the filtering of some larger respiratory droplets. It is important to keep in mind that viruses are also in aerosol form (not attached to droplets). Cloth masks do not stop aerosolized viruses. The smaller respiratory droplets and aerosolized viral particles penetrate the mask.^[3][4][6][7]

Cloth Masks & Science

Now that we have established some common ground, let’s look at the research process. To do that, we will delve a little further. Research can be tricky. Often, it is difficult for research done in a lab to ‘translate’ into real life.

For example: In the lab, a person may present for a study, wash their hands, and put on a clean cloth face covering. The viral shedding is then tested for 15-30 minutes, with and without coughing, and the numbers are compiled, and results are published. The trouble with this type of research is that (for most people) life is not lived in a lab.

Science & Real Life

In real life, the story may be one as follows:

• A person pulls a cloth mask out of their pocket that they have had on 10-15 times since it was last washed
• They have not washed their hands prior to putting on the mask, the mask may be backward at first, and then turned around to correct
• They enter their workplace and wear the mask for 4 hours at a time, touching it 15-60 times an hour
• Just prior to leaving for lunch they take the mask off and put it back in their pocket only to repeat the process after the lunch break. You get the idea

This practical type of research has been touched on from time to time. What is discovered is that in the ‘real-life’ scenarios, there is a strong potential for increased risk of disease transmission when cloth face masks are worn. Cloth face masks pose another risk: a false sense of security.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Take-Home Considerations:

When we examine the practical research studies closely, there should be a couple of ‘take-home’ cautions with using cloth masks:

• When a cloth mask is touched, all the contaminants (viruses, bacteria, dust, etc.) that are filtered on the mask have the potential to release into the wearer’s face, including nose and mouth.  This potentially puts the wearer at an increased risk of illness.
• The longer the cloth mask is worn (>2 hours) the less benefit it provides.
• The more a cloth mask is washed, the larger the weave becomes, and the less benefit the mask provides.
• Cloth face masks should be no replacement for proven beneficial techniques: hand washing, isolating when you are ill, surface cleaning.
• Cloth face masks are limited (at best) at decreasing exposure to viruses
• Cloth face masks do not stop viruses.

Immune Supportive Therapies:

Did you know that your immune system is brilliant? It wards of viruses, fungus, bacteria, multiple times daily without you even having to think of it. It can heal tissues that have been injured or damaged. It can eradicate cancer cells before they are even detectable on an image.

Keeping your immune system strong is important. This strength comes mostly from simple, lifestyle habits. Eating plenty of nutrient rich foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and legumes provides resources the immune system needs. Junk Food like sweets, pastries, and sodas can weaken the immune system, it is important to limit these. Having healthy sleep is also important. Being sure to go to bed ‘at a reasonable hour’ is vital to having a strong immune system.

Just because the immune system is strong, does not mean that you won’t get sick. Getting sick from time to time is a sign of good health. Running a fever (99-103 deg F) can indicate that the immune system is working well, and it helps to ‘clear out the riff raff’ of overgrowing bacteria, viruses, and harmful cells.

It is important to support the immune system during times of illness. Here are some simple ways to do that: (click here).

References:

1. ^{^}Dadonaite B, Vijayakrishnan S, Fodor E, Bhella D, Hutchinson EC (August 2016). “Filamentous influenza viruses”. The Journal of General Virology. 97 (8): 1755–64. doi:10.1099/jgv.0.000535. PMC 5935222. PMID 27365089.
2. ^Chen N, Zhou M, Dong X, Qu J, Gong F, Han Y, et al. (15 February 2020). “Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study”. The Lancet. 395 (10223): 507–513. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7. PMC 7135076. PMID 32007143. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
3. ^Simple Respiratory Protection—Evaluation of the Filtration Performance of Cloth Masks and Common Fabric Materials Against 20–1000 nm Size Particles. (2010). The Annals Of Occupational Hygiene. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/meq044; https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/54/7/789/202744
4. ^Dbouk, T., & Drikakis, D. (2020). On respiratory droplets and face masks. Physics Of Fluids, 32(6), 063303. doi: 10.1063/5.0015044; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32574231/
5. ^CLSM, color, I., engineering, M., & regeneration, B. (2020). Focus on apparel complexity: Cotton fabric topography by CLSM – Materials Today. Retrieved 24 October 2020, from https://www.materialstoday.com/characterization/comment/focus-on-apparel-complexity/#:~:text=Larger%20pores%2C%20in%20the%20range,seen%20between%20individual%20woven%20yarns
6. ^James Ives, M. (2020). Researchers identify optimal face masks for controlling respiratory droplets. Retrieved 24 October 2020, from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200701/Researchers-identify-optimal-face-masks-for-controlling-respiratory-droplets.aspx
7. ^Jayaweera, M., Perera, H., Gunawardana, B., & Manatunge, J. (2020). Transmission of COVID-19 virus by droplets and aerosols: A critical review on the unresolved dichotomy. Environmental Research, 188, 109819. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109819; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7293495/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20types%20of,the%20influenza%20virus%20can%20be
8. ^2019. Contamination By Respiratory Viruses On Outer Surface Of Medical Masks Used By Hospital Healthcare Workers. [online] Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333596759_Contamination_by_respiratory_viruses_on_outer_surface_of_medical_masks_used_by_hospital_healthcare_workers> [Accessed 24 October 2020].
9. ^(2020). Retrieved 24 October 2020, from https://www.scielo.br/pdf/reben/v73s2/0034-7167-reben-73-s2-e20200239.pdf
10. ^Xiao, J., Shiu, E., Gao, H., Wong, J., Fong, M., Ryu, S., & Cowling, B. (2020). Nonpharmaceutical Measures for Pandemic Influenza in Nonhealthcare Settings—Personal Protective and Environmental Measures. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(5), 967-975. doi: 10.3201/eid2605.190994; https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/5/19-0994_article