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The masks have been shown to be extremely effective in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. But is a cloth mask enough? Should we wear two masks? And what about medical grade N95 face coatings?
Although transmission of the virus has slowed considerably in Los Angeles County, the risk of the disease spreading remains high – and the presence of new, potentially more contagious variants only increases the danger.
Sheet masks
There has been some debate as to whether cloth masks provide sufficient protection. Experts say it’s definitely better than not wearing a mask at all, but there may be better options.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended that people wear masks with two or more layers of breathable fabric.
If you wear a cloth mask, the CDC says to look for these qualities:
- Tightly woven fabrics, such as cotton and cotton blends
- Breathable material
- Two or three layers of fabric
The least effective types of masks are:
- Made of lightly woven fabrics, like a loose knit
- Made of a material that is difficult to breathe (like plastic or leather)
- Those with a single layer
Avoid these:
- Masks made of fabric that makes it difficult to breathe, such as vinyl
- Masks with exhalation valves or vents, which allow viral particles to escape
Double masks
Wearing two masks is becoming an increasingly widespread practice.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer observed in a briefing Wednesday that “you will now see a lot more people who are in fact double-masked.”
She said it was “convenient, rather thoughtful” to add “an extra layer between your respiratory droplets and the rest of the world”.
One way to line the mask is to put on a medical grade mask first and then cover it with a fabric face covering, Ferrer said.
In an appearance on ‘Today’ this week, Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease specialist, said: ‘If you have a physical coating with one diaper, you put another diaper on it. , it makes sense that it would probably be more efficient.
“That’s the reason,” he said, “you see people doing double-masking or doing a version of an N95.”
An LA County Science Advisory Group is examining the data regarding the effectiveness of double masking and in what settings.
KN95 vs. N95
Another option is the KN95 mask, which is medical grade but made to Chinese specifications. They’re probably more effective than fabric face coverings, Ferrer said.
One of the advantages of KN95 masks is that they may be easier for the public to use than the standard breathing mask used by healthcare professionals in the United States, the N95 mask.
While N95 masks are very effective, they need to be specially tailored to the wearer to maximize their effectiveness, Ferrer said.
Additionally, a run on N95 masks could lead to supply shortages for healthcare professionals. Ferrer said the county science advisory group is to review guidance from government occupational safety and health experts on masks and other emerging sciences.
“I would caution people about letting us complete our review of the literature, the studies and what OSHA says about it,” Ferrer said, referring to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. .
Ferrer stressed, however, that Angelenos must follow the public health guidelines already in place regarding the wearing of masks.
With vaccines still scarce, she said, taking personal steps to reduce transmission is the surest way to improve conditions to the point that the county can reopen other businesses and allow more students. to go back to class.
“If you care about our children, if you care about our small businesses,” she said, “we need you to consistently follow public health guidelines.
“Just because some areas have reopened doesn’t mean the risk of transmission has disappeared. This is not the case.
Vaccines
Even getting the required two doses of existing vaccines doesn’t mean you have to stop wearing a face mask or following other infection prevention protocols, according to the CDC.
“There is currently not enough information available to say whether or when the CDC will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes the disease. COVID-19, ”the agency wrote on its website.
Getting both doses of the vaccines currently available, while being extremely effective in protecting yourself against the disease, cannot prevent you from becoming an asymptomatic carrier of the virus and infecting others with it, officials say. Further study is needed to verify this.
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