Neck gaiters have been worn as a face covering by many because it is a simple solution. Not sure what a neck gaiter is? It is a like a circular piece of fabric worn around your neck that can be pulled or stretched up over your mouth and nose for warmth. They tend to be loved by outdoor sportsmen and runners. Duke University studied the effectiveness of neck gaiters and found that the most popular style made of a single layer of thin, stretchy fabric are “worse than nothing” because water droplets breathed out are aerosolized into the air around us – making it easier for others to breath in.
So what should users of neck gaiters do?
It’s important to note Duke University only tested the most popular kind of neck gaiter, one made of a single layer of very thin fabric. The authors of the study concluded that while the specific gaiter they tested appeared to perform very poorly in their testing, more data regarding neck gaiters is needed before ruling them out entirely as a face covering when indoors and close to others. According to the CDC, the intent of a face covering or mask is “to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the mask coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice”. Furthermore, the CDC and South Dakota Department of Health recommends using two pieces of cotton fabric when making a mask to create a proper barrier.
Before throwing your neck gaiter out, examine it closely and ask yourself, “Is it as thick as or thicker than two pieces of cotton fabric?” You can even take a t-shirt out of your dresser for comparison. If it doesn’t pass the test, you may just want to keep it for your next hunting or fishing trip and not for trips to the grocery store.
Bottom Line: Face coverings ought to be multi-layered to provide the most protection for yourself and your community.