Investigation of the Thermal Comfort Properties of Masks Used during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, which was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020, is transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets and close contact and can cause severe respiratory failure and pneumonia. Currently, while the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and countries are taking strict precautions to protect populations against infection, the most effective precautions still seem to be social distancing and wearing a mask. The question of how effective masks were in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely discussed, both in public and scientific circles, and the protection of different mask types has been examined. This study aimed to examine the comfort conditions provided by the different mask types to the user during use. For this purpose, single-ply, double-ply, three-ply, cloth, FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 masks with different standards were examined, with and without a valve. To conduct the experiments, the novel thermal head measurement system, developed within the scope of this study, was used specifically for mask comfort studies. Thanks to the developed measurement system, the thermal resistance and water vapor resistance values of different masks were measured, and their comfort conditions were evaluated. According to the findings, cloth masks provide a comfortable condition, with lower thermal resistance and water vapor resistance values than other masks. In addition, it was observed that surgical masks offer better thermal comfort conditions, although they have lower protection than FFP masks.

Evaluation of Mask Performances in Filtration and Comfort in Fabric Combinations

“…In consideration on the performances, the melt-blown material is still the best choice for mask filtration application. However, the fabric made of natural fibers has the advantages of being comfortable to wear and more environmentally friendly [ 19 ]; with filtration efficiency improving towards the higher range of the aerosol particles, we can still see the fabric as having a certain application prospect. However, earlier reports on their high filtration efficiency could not be repeated.…”

Visualization and Quantification of Facemask Leakage Flows and Interpersonal Transmission with Varying Face Coverings

“…A more practical method is to leverage the temperature variations that are dependent on the leakage flow volume [48,49]. Moreover, the periodic temperature variation within one breathing cycle is expected to provide further information on leakage flows, including the leakage volume (gap size) and site, because the cooling effect during inhalation and warming effect during exhalation are highly sensitive to the leakage flow patterns [50][51][52].…”

Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multigroup Structural Equation Modelling of Underground Space Environment and Users’ Health

“…However, the environmental factor is only one of the aspects determining one's thermal perception. During the pandemic period, visitors had to wear masks, protective head coverings and/or clothing, which may have affected their thermal resistance, thermal perception, and health [110]. For instance, even though an environment with a lower indoor temperature has a higher chance of causing the common cold in users [111], the protective clothing may have moderated its negative effects on individual health.…”