Simple Mask Modification for Increased Protection during COVID-19

Study Overview

While there is a limited supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a larger availability of surgical masks compared to N95 masks. If a surgical mask could be modified to eradicate the leaks throughout the circumference of the mask, it may be able to filter at the efficiency of a N95, thereby increasing the available stock of N-95-level PPE for health-care personnel. We plan to perform a prospective cohort study to study the fit factor of a modified surgical mask compared to that of a N95 mask and the unmodified standard surgical mask. In the process, we will also quantitatively characterize differences between masks. We will recruit 45 healthy volunteers who are currently approved for work in a clinical setting at the University of Pennsylvania.

• Study Identifier: 842997