- Even the best N95 masks have "holes"
- Surgical masks are designed to protect patients from a surgeon's respiratory droplets and are not effective at blocking "incoming" particles of the COVID-19 virus size.
- Cloth masks have only a 10 - 30% efficiency against COVID-19
- Wearing cloth masks, scarfs, sweatshirts, towels, etc., will NOT reduce COVID-19 transmission.
- Even surgical masks (N95) are not efficient at preventing COVID-19 emissions.
- Cloth masks are ineffective at preventing COVID-19 transmission whether worn as source control or as personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Moisture retention, reuse of cloth masks and poor filtration may result in increased risk of infection.
- The virus may survive on the surface of the face- masks
- Self-contamination through repeated use and improper doffing is possible. A contaminated cloth mask may transfer pathogen from the mask to the bare hands of the wearer.
- Both surgical and cotton masks seem to be ineffective in preventing the dissemination of SARS–CoV-2
- World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges that most people do not use masks properly.
- Wearing a mask outside health care facilities offers little, if any, protection from infection.