Video compares droplet sprays when wearing different masks -- and no mask at all

Researchers compared the sprays of droplets we spew out of our mouths when wearing a one-layered cloth mask, two-layered cloth mask, surgical mask, and no mask at all -- while talking, coughing, and sneezing.

Mashable sums up the findings succinctly:

The study's big takeaways are:

When talking, wearing even a single-layer mask significantly limits the exhalation of droplets.

For coughing and sneezing, a double-layer mask is much more effective than a single-layer mask.

Generally, the more layers a mask has the better. The researchers suggest "at least three layers" and found surgical masks performed best in this study - though not everyone has access to these masks.

For more details read the published results in Thorax.