When it comes to non-medical face coverings, some are better than others, says expert
Handmade masks good, bandanas don't work very well according to Duke University study
Non-medical face masks and coverings are a must in Nova Scotia's indoor public spaces to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but some are better than others.
A Duke University study found handmade cotton face coverings provide good coverage at "eliminating a substantial amount of the spray from normal speech."
But bandanas and balaclavas/neck gaiters didn't block the droplets as effectively, the study found.
"Wearing a mask doesn't replace staying at a reasonable distance, the six-feet distance, and washing your hands," said Dr. Lisa Barrett, an infectious diseases physician at Dalhousie University in Halifax, told CBC Nova Scotia News at Six on Wednesday.
"So, if you forget those two, no mask is going to be good."
Barrett said homemade masks are never meant to be worn in a health-care setting. She said they are meant to be worn as a secondary way to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in the community, or somewhere indoors.
How the mask is worn is also important, she said.
"Wearing a mask when it does not cover your nose, your mouth and your chin — regardless of the material — if it's not in the right place, it's not going to protect," Barrett said.
One test Barrett recommends is to put on the mask, then put a hand in front of the mask and start breathing. If you can't feel the breath, that's an indication of a good mask.
Barrett said it's also important that people not take their masks off to have conversations with others face-to-face.
On Wednesday, Nova Scotia reported its 10th day in a row of no new COVID-19 cases. But, as experts prepare for a second wave of the illness later this year, Barrett said masks will play an important role.
She said it's encouraging to see so many people wearing masks. She said more work needs to be done on how to wear them properly.
"I think that masks are going to be an important part of new normal," she said.
With files from Amy Smith and CBC Nova Scotia News at Six