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When it comes to protection against the new coronavirus, are two face masks better than one?
While face masks have been shown to mitigate the spread of droplets, including harmful virus-laden particles, questions remain whether doubling the masks could boost protection, with several experts ringing in the debate.
Those who spoke to Fox News said there was little to no evidence to sway the issue either way, although some may disagree.
“There is no data to support (or refute) the idea that wearing two face masks would provide more protection” against the coronavirus, wrote Dr Dean Winslow, an infectious disease expert at Stanford Health Care, in an email.
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Dr Aditya Shah, an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic, also said there was a lack of evidence on the matter.
Likewise, Neysa Ernst of Johns Hopkins University, where she serves as the Nurse Manager of the Biocontainment Unit, agreed, although she proposed that anecdotal evidence suggests that additional layers could offer a “Psychological safety” to some, she said.
“In this pandemic, psychological safety is important, it provides a feeling of control in an unfamiliar environment,” Ernst wrote.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), masks should have two layers of breathable fabric, with a tight fit covering the nose and mouth.
Answers from experts on “double masking” vary, suggesting that more research is needed. (iStock)
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“If your mask already has multiple layers, you don’t need to double the mask,” says Dr. Frank Esper, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s. “While doubling the mask probably won’t double the protection, it probably won’t hurt you either.”
That said, an expert from California said doubling the masks can improve protection.
When worn correctly, a single face mask made of “the right material” usually provides sufficient protection, said Paula Cannon, professor emeritus of molecular microbiology and immunology at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USC), in an email.
“However, wearing two can provide additional protection. A second mask can create a tighter seal around your face and help secure the masks so they don’t slip off,” she added.
Two masks can create more of an “obstacle course” for viral particles in an attempt to route air, through the body and into the lungs, argued physician and medical editor Dr. Dave Hnida, according to CBS.
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“It has been confirmed by research that two masks are actually better than one,” Hnida said, according to the outlet. “Specifically, what we’re saying is that two masks can actually equal the protection you would get from N-95 masks, which is considered the best mask that lacks a full respirator-type unit.”
He said a surgical mask wrapped in a fabric mask could provide added protection.
“The reason is that you end up getting more filtration from the viral particles. It becomes more of an obstacle course for the viral particle to pass from the air into your nose and throat and then into your lungs,” a- he declared.
However, experts agree that too many diapers could pose a risk for breathing difficulties, and the CDC specifically recommends against wearing masks with vinyl cloth for this reason. Besides the use of masks, health experts continue to urge good physical distance, hand hygiene and avoiding crowds to reduce the spread of the virus.
Madeline Farber of Fox News contributed to this report.
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