Though studies on face shields are scarce, one cough simulation study in 2014 suggested that a shield could reduce a person’s viral exposure to a cough expelled less than 18 inches away by 96%. Surgical masks were never really designed to catch or trap viruses, and they’re also not as readily available, or easy to clean as…
What Experts Say
Face shields a more effective deterrent to COVID?
Hundreds of millions of Americans heeded recent government advice and rushed to wear cloth face masks, hoping they might prevent transmission of the new coronavirus. But there’s another option: The clear plastic face shield, already in use by many health care personnel. Now, a team of experts say face shields might replace masks as a…
Should Face Shields Replace Face Masks to Ward Off Coronavirus?
Dr. Robert Glatter is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in his role as emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “One approach that makes the most sense, especially in light of the limitations of face masks and face coverings, is the use of face shields,” Glatter said. “While we…
Face Shields and Containment of COVID-19
Face shields may provide a better option. Face shields offer a number of advantages. While medical masks have limited durability and little potential for reprocessing, face shields can be reused indefinitely and are easily cleaned with soap and water, or common household disinfectants. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has included societal use of…
Why face shields may be better coronavirus protection than masks alone
Face shields are more effective than masks in protecting the wearer from viral infection,” says James Cherry, a UCLA infectious diseases expert. But health officials say more can be done to protect essential workers. Dr. James Cherry, a UCLA infectious diseases expert, said supermarket cashiers and bus drivers who aren’t otherwise protected from the public by…
“Every person should have a face shield” says epidemiologist Michael Edmond
Face shields offer more effective protection against coronavirus than masks and should be worn by the public whenever they leave home, according to US physician and epidemiologist Michael Edmond. Edmond, an infectious diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist in Iowa City, USA, has been advocating the use of face shields on his blog. He believes the simple devices are more…