Are more protective masks less comfortable? Not as long as they fit properly

Wearing a face mask, when combined with other protective measures, has been shown to help slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. But there remain many misconceptions about the relationship between a mask's level of protection and its comfort - namely that more protective models such as N95 respirators are less comfortable to wear. Kevin Golovin, an assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering - along with his Durable Repellent Engineered Advanced Material (DREAM) Laboratory research team - recently completed a comfort assessment of face masks to determine the relationship, if any, between mask comfort and protection. While the group found that all masks cause a degree of discomfort for the user, there was no evidence to suggest more protective masks were more uncomfortable - and that the most important factors in selecting a comfortable face mask include size and fit. Writer Lynsey Mellon  spoke with Golovin about the findings, which were recently published in the open access journal PLOS ONE. Why did the DREAM lab decide to conduct this experiment? We know wearing a face mask helps to minimize exposure to - and stop the spread of - COVID-19. We've also learned that multi-layer masks offer the best protection.