Back Lapgesigsmasker Afrikaans قناع وجه قماشي Arabic Cloth face mask DAG Alltagsmaske German Mascarilla higiénica Spanish Korduvkasutatav mask Estonian Masque en tissu French Müsduk FRR מסכת בד HE Mas baryè HT
| Cloth face mask | |
|---|---|
 A cloth face mask made out of 2-ply construction with layers of 85% polyester and 15% cotton fabric | |
| Other names | Fabric mask |
A cloth face mask is a mask made of common textiles, usually cotton, worn over the mouth and nose. When more effective masks are not available, cloth face masks are recommended by public health agencies for disease source control in epidemic situations to protect others from virus-laden aerosols emitted by infected mask wearers' as they breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze.
Cloth masks are also used to reduce the risk of transmission to the wearer. Because they are less effective than N95 masks in protecting the wearer against viruses and other airborne particles,[1][2] they are not considered to be personal protective equipment by public health agencies.[3]
Cloth face masks were routinely used by healthcare workers starting from the late 19th century. They fell out of use in the developed world in favor of disposable surgical masks, and respirators with an electret (electrically charged) filter material,[4] but cloth masks persisted in developing countries.[5] During the COVID-19 pandemic, their use in developed countries was revived due to shortages, as well as for environmental concerns and practicality. Launderable cloth electret filters were also being developed.[6]
- ^ "Mask Hierarchy". Mask Evidence. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Andrejko, Kristin L. (2022). "Effectiveness of Face Mask or Respirator Use in Indoor Public Settings for Prevention of SARS-CoV-2 Infection — California, February–December 2021". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 71 (6): 212–216. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7106e1. ISSN 0149-2195. PMC 8830622. PMID 35143470.
- ^ "Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 18, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ "COMMENTARY: Wear a respirator, not a cloth or surgical mask, to protect against respiratory viruses | CIDRAP". www.cidrap.umn.edu. February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Godoy, Laura R. Garcia; Jones, Amy E.; Anderson, Taylor N.; Fisher, Cameron L.; Seeley, Kylie M. L.; Beeson, Erynn A.; Zane, Hannah K.; Peterson, Jaime W.; Sullivan, Peter D. (May 1, 2020). "Facial protection for healthcare workers during pandemics: a scoping review". BMJ Global Health. 5 (5): e002553. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002553. ISSN 2059-7908. PMC 7228486. PMID 32371574.