Face mask fit modifications that improve source control performance dataset

SARS-CoV-2 is a highly infectious respiratory virus that is primarily transmitted by respiratory aerosols and droplets emitted during activities such as talking, breathing, and coughing. Because symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals with COVID-19 can exhibit a high viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in their respiratory fluids, the CDC recommends that people wear a face mask that covers the nose and mouth to reduce community transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wearing a face mask to protect others from potentially infectious droplets, called source control, has been shown to be a highly effective infection control strategy to limit the spread of COVID-19. The presence of mask face seal leaks enables respiratory aerosols to escape out rather than pass through the filtering materials of the mask, consequently reducing the benefits of wearing a face mask for source control. As such, the current investigation examines various modifications that improve the fit of a medical or cloth face mask and reduce the amounts of expelled aerosols during simulated coughs and exhalations.