4–7įace masks have become increasingly accepted as one of the most effective means for source control (i.e., protecting others from a potentially infected wearer) and can help curb the community spread of the disease when used in combination with social-distancing and frequent hand-washing. 3 A number of recent studies have contributed to this effort by significantly improving our understanding of various physical mechanisms involved in the disease’s transmission. In light of the acute circumstances, it has become crucial to establish clear and specific guidelines that can help mitigate the disease’s spread, especially given the high prevalence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic spread. Furthermore, widespread uncertainty regarding the re-opening of schools and universities for in-person instruction has created additional cause for concern, since these institutions have the potential to become focal points for unchecked community spread of the disease. It appears that the likelihood of vulnerable individuals struggling with severe health issues and the debilitating socio-economic ramifications of the pandemic will continue in the foreseeable future. 1,2 Researchers have reported steady progress in the development of potential treatments and vaccines however, it is estimated that widespread inoculation will not be available until sometime in the year 2021. Healthcare systems in the most severely affected locations have been stretched to capacity, which also tends to impact urgent care for cases unrelated to COVID-19. Several places across the world, including the United States, Brazil, and India, are experiencing a steep surge in infections. The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected every aspect of daily life worldwide. Our observations suggest that to minimize the community spread of COVID-19, it may be preferable to use high quality cloth or surgical masks that are of a plain design, instead of face shields and masks equipped with exhale valves. Visualizations for a mask equipped with an exhalation port indicate that a large number of droplets pass through the exhale valve unfiltered, which significantly reduces its effectiveness as a means of source control. The visualizations indicate that although face shields block the initial forward motion of the jet, the expelled droplets can move around the visor with relative ease and spread out over a large area depending on light ambient disturbances. To help increase public awareness regarding the effectiveness of these alternative options, we use qualitative visualizations to examine the performance of face shields and exhalation valves in impeding the spread of aerosol-sized droplets. However, there is a possibility that widespread public use of these alternatives to regular masks could have an adverse effect on mitigation efforts. One of the factors driving this increased adoption is improved comfort compared to regular masks. However, there is an increasing trend of people substituting regular cloth or surgical masks with clear plastic face shields and with masks equipped with exhalation valves. Face masks have become increasingly accepted as one of the most effective means for combating the spread of the disease when used in combination with social-distancing and frequent hand-washing. Several places across the world are experiencing a steep surge in COVID-19 infections.
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