Aluminium Gauze Reduces SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Non-Woven Masks Worn by Patients with COVID-19.

Background: Aluminium reduces severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) survival in experimental settings. It is unknown whether adding an aluminium gauze to a mask reduces the SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in the mask and whether SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in the breath that permeates through such a mask in clinical settings.

Methods: Patients admitted to Kishiwada City Hospital, Osaka, Japan, between July 2021 and September 2021 were enrolled in the study.