Early in the pandemic, disposable masks made of non-woven plastic fabrics were in short supply.

Just getting enough for medical workers was a challenge. Now things are different https://trib.al/9gbqte3 

China, usually by far the world’s biggest exporter of protective masks, was at first hoarding its production for its own pandemic response.

But after getting the epidemic under control, China quickly went back to exporting http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

Medical masks are now accessible, but they’re not what one sees covering most mouths in U.S. supermarkets and buses.

“Cloth masks, especially homemade ones, were supposed to be a stopgap measure,” Zeynep Tufekci and Jeremy Howard wrote in the Atlantic http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

When virus-laden droplets make it into the air, most of the moisture evaporates, leaving “aerosolized” particles that can float around for hours.

Disposable medical masks seem to do a better job than cloth ones of keeping them out http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

The single-biggest piece of evidence for this comes from one of the rare randomized controlled trials of cloth-mask use, which was conducted in 2011 with Vietnamese hospital workers http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

One group was supplied with 2 disposable masks daily and another with 5 cotton masks that they were supposed to wash and reuse.

Cloth-mask wearers were 13 times more likely to have come down with flu-like illnesses than the disposable-mask wearers http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

It’s wise to follow a regime of using homemade and cloth masks when engaging in outdoor activities such as walking the dog or going to the farmer’s market.

When you’re going to be spending time indoors or in public transportation, put on a disposable mask http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

The virus that causes Covid-19 is only around 0.1 micron in size, but it virtually never travels alone, instead attaching itself to bits of saliva. A well-fitted N95 mask keeps it out.

Surgical masks are almost equally effective in doing this http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

Cloth masks have been shown to be effective at stopping small particles if they’re composed of multiple layers made with different fabrics.

Thin masks like the one former President Clinton was wearing at the inauguration won't provide as much protection http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

Disposable surgical and procedure masks are cheap, light, comfortable-ish and easy to talk through.

Merkel is ahead of the curve, announcing last week that cloth masks will no longer be enough to shop indoors or ride on public transportation in Germany http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

Signaling that disposable surgical masks are more effective than cloth ones — by changing official guidance — ought to be a priority for the new leaders.

Removing shoddily made surgical masks from the market ought to be another one http://trib.al/9gbqte3 

Yes, cloth masks are better-looking and often more comfortable than surgical masks, and probably more environmentally responsible.

But the goal here is to make wearing masks unnecessary, and more widespread use of surgical masks will get us there sooner http://trib.al/9gbqte3