A team at Florida Atlantic University used lasers to study the effectiveness of different facemasks. Specifically they were looking at masks with valves and plastic shields [without added covering]
But the new research, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, shows that face shields alone and vented masks allow large plumes of particles to escape, putting those around you at risk. And while the research did not specifically look at the level of protection the shields and masks offer the wearer, it does suggest that people who use them may also be more vulnerable to exposure than if they wore a regular mask. Valved masks are a particular concern — some of the nonmedical vented masks the researchers used had faulty valves, suggesting that some people may be walking around with open valves — essentially large holes — in their masks.
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