Cloth face masks to prevent Covid-19 and other respiratory infections

OBJECTIVE: to analyze scientific evidence on the efficacy of cloth masks in preventing COVID-19 and other respiratory infections. METHOD: integrative literature review based on the following guiding question: What is the efficacy of cloth face masks in absorbing particles that cause respiratory infection? The search was conducted in eight electronic databases, without any restriction in terms of language or period. RESULTS: low coverage cloth face masks made of 100% cotton, scarf, pillowcase, antimicrobial pillowcase, silk, linen, tea towel, or vacuum bag, present marginal/reasonable protection against particles while high coverage cloth masks provide high protection. CONCLUSION: cloth face masks are a preventive measure with moderate efficacy in preventing the dissemination of respiratory infections caused by particles with the same size or smaller than those of SARS-CoV-2. The type of fabric used, number of layers and frequency of washings influence the efficacy of the barrier against droplets.