Effects of surgical masks on droplet dispersion under various oxygen delivery modalities

Dear editor, Aerosol dispersion under oxygen delivery modalities, including the high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), is a critical concern for healthcare workers who have treated acute hypoxemic respiratory failure during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. [...]HFNC did not increase droplet and aerosol dispersion compared to standard nasal cannula therapy, even at highest flow, and surgical masks over HFNC may be safely used for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure patients, including coronavirus disease patients. Ethics declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate This study protocol was approved by the Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Research Ethics Committee (Approval number: 20092503).