Scarves could bring a lot of comfort this winter. An added bonus to wearing them is not losing one's fashion sense despite the blues of the pandemic. However, experts gave a word of caution to those who are planning to make scarves a substitute for face masks.

Health officials told Fox News that replacing face masks with scarves will not do well in preventing the coronavirus from spreading. Experts explained that a snug fit on the face plays a very important role in preventing the spread of the virus.

Christopher Sulmonte, Johns Hopkins Medicine Bio-Containment Unit project administrator, emailed Fox News and said that a winter scarf is not a replacement for face masks.

It is not just Sulmonte who reiterated the need for face masks even with scarves on. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already issued guidance on wearing face masks on its website. It stated that if cloth masks are to be used, they must be non-valved multilayer cloth masks in order to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus.

The CDC also said that in human experiments, they have achieved at the very least an 80 percent blockage of respiratory droplets using cloth masks. In fact, it highlighted that cloth masks perform at par with surgical masks in providing a barrier that would control the spread of droplets from a source, which in this case, would be the person wearing the mask.

Sulmonte explained that a good mask must meet three criteria, which would be fit, function, and frequency. The amount of coverage that a mask has on the face would refer to fit, while the material of the mask would refer to the function. The third one, which is the frequency, would refer to the duration that a mask is worn.

Scarves Not Substitute For Masks Scarves Not Substitute For Masks
Health experts warn that scarves are not substitutes for face masks. Photo: Pixabay

Dr Joseph Khabbaza, one of Cleveland Clinic's critical care specialist, said that in terms of inefficacy, scarves can be considered at par with neck gaiters. He explained that thin masks, which have a single layer just like neck gaiters, could lead to the production of smaller droplets. When a large droplet passes through the thin layer, it can lead to smaller droplets and higher chances of transmission.