Engineering COVID-19 Fashion - Designing the Most Effective Face Masks for the Canadian Fashion Industry

COVID-19疫情持续快速增长，超过500万例病例及325，000例死亡。目前还没有针对SARS-CoV-2感染（导致COVID-19的病毒）的有效治疗方法，根据世界卫生组织的说法，COVID-19疫苗的有效期为12-18个月。随着我们的社会慢慢重新开放，戴口罩可能会变得无处不在，如果不是法律要求的话，就像现在在其他国家一样。 虽然服装行业是受COVID-19影响而关闭商场及生产的最严重行业之一，但口罩市场已出现爆炸式增长。全球时尚口罩市场预计将从今天的1.4亿美元增长到2027年的34亿美元。各大时尚品牌都在重组生产线，以在这个不断增长的行业中获得市场份额。有效的口罩设计必须能够减轻空气传播疾病的传播;然而，时装业没有很好的装备来评估口罩的功效。迫切需要详细了解最佳口罩材料和设计，以最有效地防止SARS-CoV-2传播。 该项目将开发一个全面的实验和数值框架，可用于分析通过和周围织物的呼吸流体流动。这项工作将帮助加拿大服装行业评估不同口罩设计和材料的有效性，以最好地预防COVID-19的传播。该项目预计将带来几项额外的好处，例如增加劳动力，减轻外科/医用口罩市场的压力，以及增加加拿大制造的口罩材料的使用。

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow rapidly with over 5 million cases and 325,000 mortalities. Currently no effective remedy exists for SARS-CoV-2 infections (the virus that causes COVID-19), and according to the World Health Organization, a COVID-19 vaccine has a 12-18 months horizon. As our society slowly reopens, mask wearing will likely become ubiquitous, if not legally required, as it is in other countries now. While the apparel industry is one of the hardest hit sectors amid mall and production closures due to COVID-19, the face mask market has exploded. The global fashion face mask market is expected to grow from $140 million today to $3.4 billion by 2027. Major fashion brands are retooling their production lines to gain a market share in this growing industry. Effective face mask designs must be able to mitigate airborne disease transmission; however, the fashion industry is not well equipped to assess mask efficacy. There is an urgent need for detailed knowledge on optimal mask material and designs that are most effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This project will develop a comprehensive experimental and numerical framework that can be used to analyze respiratory fluid flow through and around fabric. This work will aid the Canadian apparel industry assess the efficacy of different mask designs and materials to best prevent transmission of COVID-19. This project is anticipated to result in several added benefits such as bolstering the workforce, alleviating pressure on the surgical/medical mask market, and increasing the use of mask materials made in Canada.