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  1. Article: Double masking protection vs. comfort-A quantitative assessment.

    Arumuru, Venugopal / Samantaray, Sidhartha Sankar / Pasa, Jangyadatta

    Physics of fluids (Woodbury, N.Y. : 1994)

    2021  Volume 33, Issue 7, Page(s) 77120

    Abstract: COVID-19 has forced humankind to adopt face masks as an integral part of everyday life. This preventive measure is an effective source control technique to curb the spread of COVID-19 and other similar diseases. The virus responsible for causing COVID-19 ...

    Abstract COVID-19 has forced humankind to adopt face masks as an integral part of everyday life. This preventive measure is an effective source control technique to curb the spread of COVID-19 and other similar diseases. The virus responsible for causing COVID-19 has undergone several mutations in the recent past, including B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and N501Y, B.1.617, with a higher infectious rate. These viruses' variants are mainly responsible for the recent spike in COVID-19 cases and associated steep rise in mortality rate worldwide. Under these circumstances, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and health experts recommend double masking, which mainly includes a surgical mask and a cotton mask for the general public. This combination provides an additional layer of protection and masks fitment to minimize the leakage of droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, and breathing. This leakage may cause airborne transmission of the virus. In the present study, we report a systematic quantitative unsteady pressure measurement supplement with flow visualization to quantify the effectiveness of a single and double mask. We have also evaluated double masking consisting of a surgical mask and an N-95 mask used by medical professionals. A simple knot improves the surgical mask fitment significantly, and hence, the leakage of droplets is minimized. The leakage of the droplets was reduced to a large extent by using a double mask combination of a two-layer cotton mask over the surgical mask with a knot. The double mask combination of surgical + N-95 and two-layer cotton + N-95 masks showed the most promising results, and no leakage of the droplets is observed in the forward direction. A double mask combination of surgical and N-95 mask offers 8.6% and 5.6% lower mean and peak pressures compared to surgical, and cotton mask. The best results are observed with cotton and N-95 masks with 54.6% and 23% lower mean and peak pressures than surgical and cotton masks; hence, this combination will offer more comfort to the wearer.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-07-21
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 1472743-2
    ISSN 1089-7666 ; 1070-6631
    ISSN (online) 1089-7666
    ISSN 1070-6631
    DOI 10.1063/5.0058571
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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  2. Article: Experimental visualization of sneezing and efficacy of face masks and shields.

    Arumuru, Venugopal / Pasa, Jangyadatta / Samantaray, Sidhartha Sankar

    Physics of fluids (Woodbury, N.Y. : 1994)

    2020  Volume 32, Issue 11, Page(s) 115129

    Abstract: In the present work, we propose and demonstrate a simple experimental visualization to simulate sneezing by maintaining dynamic similarity to actual sneezing. A pulsed jet with Reynolds number Re = 30 000 is created using compressed air and a solenoid ... ...

    Abstract In the present work, we propose and demonstrate a simple experimental visualization to simulate sneezing by maintaining dynamic similarity to actual sneezing. A pulsed jet with Reynolds number Re = 30 000 is created using compressed air and a solenoid valve. Tracer particles are introduced in the flow to capture the emulated turbulent jet formed due to a sneeze. The visualization is accomplished using a camera and laser illumination. It is observed that a typical sneeze can travel up to 25 ft in ∼22 s in a quiescent environment. This highlights that the present widely accepted safe distance of 6 ft is highly underestimated, especially under the act of a sneeze. Our study demonstrates that a three-layer homemade mask is just adequate to impede the penetration of fine-sized particles, which may cause the spreading of the infectious pathogen responsible for COVID-19. However, a surgical mask cannot block the sneeze, and the sneeze particle can travel up to 2.5 ft. We strongly recommend using at least a three-layer homemade mask with a social distancing of 6 ft to combat the transmission of COVID-19 virus. In offices, we recommend the use of face masks and shields to prevent the spreading of droplets carrying the infectious pathogen. Interestingly, an N-95 mask blocks the sneeze in the forward direction; however, the leakage from the sides and top spreads the sneeze in the backward direction up to 2 ft. We strongly recommend using the elbow or hands to prevent droplet leakage even after wearing a mask during sneezing and coughing.
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-11-26
    Publishing country United States
    Document type Journal Article
    ZDB-ID 1472743-2
    ISSN 1089-7666 ; 1070-6631
    ISSN (online) 1089-7666
    ISSN 1070-6631
    DOI 10.1063/5.0030101
    Database MEDical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System OnLINE

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