UPDATE: Aug. 19, 2020:  A study that found that neck gaiters and bandanas do nothing to help block respiratory droplets that can spread COVID-19 has been called into question.

A Duke University research team's conclusion that a fabric gaiter will create more spread by splicing big droplets into smaller droplets is unlikely, a leading expert on aerosols told the New York Times.

According to lab tests led by Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, neck gaiters provide some degree of protection, with some homemade masks performing better than the gaiters and some performing worse.

For contractors who ditched their gaiters because of the original study and are now wondering what to wear on the jobsite, the bottom line for fabric masks is that two layers are better than one, and that a snug fit with no gaps is best, according to the Times article.

“There’s nothing inherent about a neck gaiter that should make it any worse than a cloth mask," Marr told the Times. "It comes down to the fabric and how well it fits.”

Dive Brief: 

• A new study looking at the effectiveness of face coverings using optical imaging technology has ramifications for the ways that construction workers protect themselves on  jobsites. The study found wide discrepancies in the effectiveness of different types of masks to restrict the spread of COVID-19.

• Researchers from Duke University looked at  how different choices mitigated the spread of respiratory droplets during      regular speech and found large differences in the way various masks performed.、

  
  

• The study, published by the American  Association for the Advancement of Science, looked at a wide range of  masks and mask materials, from surgical and N95 masks to those made of  cotton, fleece and bandanas. It found that some face coverings — spandex neck gaiters and cotton bandanas — are actually no better than wearing no mask.

Original Information Source:

https://www.constructiondive.com/news/neck-gaiters-bandanas-not-effective-face-coverings-for-curtailing-covid-19/583608/