Do Neck Gaiters Keep You Safe From COVID-19?

I am a Gaiter Guy.

Even on Hawaiian Shirt Friday, I still prefer the look of the neck gaiter rather than the look of the earloop mask. It's also a comfort thing or me. I just don't like the feel of the ear loops. Plus, it's more convenient since I'm usually not wearing a mask when I speak into a microphone and can quickly pull it up over my nose when I am near people.

However, as of this moment, the CDC does NOT recommend the use of neck gaiters as effective prevention against COVID-19. There is also new research that says that the CDC may be full of crap on this.

According to an article from Yahoo! News, a study at the University of Georgia found that wearing a single layer neck gaiter still accounted for a 77 percent reduction in droplets from the wearer, while two-layer face masks stopped 81 percent, and a two-layer gaiter reduced the spread by up to 96 percent.

The researchers admitted that the number of layers in the material was the main reason for the reduction, and the misconception that a gaiter would let droplets in that an over-the-ear mask would repel was just that: a misconception.

Does that mean that the much-maligned gaiters are actually more effective in stopping the spread of coronavirus than regular face masks? Well, the jury may still be out on that, but it goes to show that some businesses that do not accept gaiters as effective protection (Disney World is a famous example) may need to rethink those policies.

Of course, you could do what I do, and go for the extra safe hedging-my bets-look:

Safety First, campers...