> Intuitively I'd assume they'd be much more effective as they have better fit + higher filtration, but of course, confirmation would be great. I think that is

> Intuitively I'd assume they'd be much more effective as they have better fit + higher filtration, but of course, confirmation would be great. I think that is really hard to say. IF they are properly fitted (that won't normally be the case). As I see it (as well intuitively) if the virus is transmitted "directly" by droplets then cloth, surgical or N95 won't make much difference from a clear plastic shield (as we have seen many in hospitals wear, besides the masks), while if it is transmitted by aerosol the filtration capacity changes matters greatly. Point is whether a (poorly) fitted N95 does actually protect more than a surgical mask. Since a N95 is "harder" to breath in (as it filters much more), it is possible that a lot more non-filtered air comes from the (poor) fitting gaps. In my personal case I have (now) a beard and #1 lesson when years ago I was taught how to wear a N95 (actually a FPP2, almost the same as N95) was that you had to be cleanly shaven, and - besides that - I had to try some 5 or 6 different mask models before finding a suitable one (the mask shape need to be suited to your face shape for a proper fit). This is a pet-peeve of mine, but noone actually wears N95 masks properly: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22728367 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22728367 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23957506 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23957506