Neck gaiter

Some longer neck gaiters can also be pulled up and cover the lower face as an improvised face veil to help keep out sand/dust, smoke and other airborne irritants from entering the mouth and nose, to prevent cold hives and/or frostbites by wind chills (especially on exposed nosetip), or to protect the facial skin from harmful sunlight during prolonged outdoor activities (e.g. recreational fishing).

Following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, some media and governmental entities have included neck gaiters among apparel items for non-medical personnel to use to shield against viruses, when conventional personal protective equipment is unavailable.

[5] The study found that the neck gaiter, which was made from a thin and stretchy material, appeared to be ineffective at limiting airborne droplets expelled from the wearer; Isaac Henrion, one of the co-authors, suggests that the result was likely due to the material rather than the style, stating that "Any mask made from that fabric would probably have the same result, no matter the design.

[4] In a later study (2021) funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found that neck gaiters and other face masks can significantly reduce the expulsion of small respiratory aerosol particles during coughing, suggesting that various types of face coverings can make an important contribution to reducing the quantity of aerosol particles containing viruses—such as SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic—released into the environment by infected people.

[8] However, by that point much of the damage had been done as many businesses and corporations such as Disney, Spirit Airlines, and Carnival Cruise Lines had enacted policies prohibiting the use of gaiters as an acceptable type of face covering.