By Kenneth Fox
Ireland ranks fifth out of 15 countries for face mask adoption, according to new research from comparison website Finder.com.
The global study included a poll of 1,211 Irish adults, revealing 84 per cent own a specified face mask.
Cloth face masks are the most popular mask type in Ireland, with 42 per cent of the adult population possessing one, followed by blue surgical masks (32 per cent), homemade masks (11 per cent) and medical grade masks (11 per cent).
The report also reveals women are more likely than men to own a face mask – 90 per cent compared to 81 per cent – and that those aged 55-64 years old are leading the pack for face mask adoption at 91 per cent.
Of the countries included in the study, the United Kingdom ranked number one at 97 per cent, followed by South Africa 90 per cent, the Philippines 87 per cent and Mexico 85 per cent for adopting face masks.
Meanwhile, Singapore with 76 per cent, New Zealand with 71 per cent and Australia with 58 per cent, had the lowest face mask ownership rates.
All countries bar the Philippines favour either a cloth face mask or a blue surgical face mask.
The study also found cloth face masks are most prevalent in the USA, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, Canada and the UK, while the blue surgical face mask is most prevalent in Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. Meanwhile, Filipinos are most likely to own a face shield.
Fashionable or branded face masks are most popular in the UK at 25 per cent, followed by the United States and South Africa both 12 per cent, Canada a 11 per cent and Ireland per cent.
