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As new cases of more contagious strains of COVID-19 emerge in the United States, more public health officials express support for double masking or wear two masks simultaneously to guard against transmission of COVID-19 .
There are several ways to do double masking. Some experts, such as former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Tom Frieden, have advised the public to switch from fabric masks to medical-grade masks, including N95 models to reduce the risk of infection.
Consider switching from a cloth mask to a surgical mask, or from a surgical mask to an N95 / KN95 / equivalent if available. Better masks can help reduce the risk of more contagious strains.
– Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) 25 January 2021
Others, like Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to President Biden, advocate layering two masks on top of each other, either using a surgical mask as the first layer covered with a cloth mask or using two fabric masks.
“If you have a physical coating with one layer you put on another, it makes sense that it’s probably more efficient, and that’s the reason you see people doing double masking or doing a version of a N95, “Fauci said earlier.
however, The Washington Post noted that during an appearance on CNN, Fauci adhered to existing CDC guidelines, which do not explicitly recommend double masking. New CDC official Rochelle Walensky added that N95s can be uncomfortable and may undermine federal initiatives to promote consistent use of masks.
Cloth masks rose to prominence as medical grade masks or personal protective equipment were scarce at the start of the pandemic in the U.S. With former President Trump and current President Biden invoking the law on defense production to increase mask manufacturing and supply, more surgical and medical grade masks are available.
Speaking to the Post, Linsey Marr, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech, said that aside from a medical-grade face mask, the public’s best bet against the spread or contraction of COVID-19 is to wear a reusable cloth mask over a surgical mask.
“These standard cloth masks could be around 50% effective in terms of protection,” Marr added. “Maybe that was good enough before when it was combined with the remoteness and trying to avoid being in crowded indoor spaces.”
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