It may be time to ditch your colourful cloth masks that match every outfit to a T as experts point to lacking safety standards for reusable face masks in the wake of the Omicron threat.
“They can be really good or really terrible,” depending on what fabric is used, said Trish Greenhalgh, professor of primary health care services at the University of Oxford, quoted by Bloomberg. Double or triple-layer masks made of a mix of materials can be more effective, but most cloth coverings are just “fashion accessories”.
As Omicron cases surge across the world, mask mandates are back. Earlier this month, Britain reintroduced compulsory mask wearing on public transport, shops and in some indoor venues, having previously relaxed the rules in the summer. Several others followed suit.
The main issue with cloth masks, according to Greenhalgh, is that they don’t have to meet any kind of health standard. In contrast, those manufacturing N95 respirator masks, for example, have to make sure they…