By Erika Edwards - NBC News
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, ensures that, if it is to use two masks to protect against the coronavirus, it is "common sense" that an extra layer of protection is more effective.
There is no scientific research however on how well masks work against the virus, including the variant with the highest UK transmissibility that has already been detected in at least 22 states in the United States.
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A mask “is a physical covering that prevents [saliva] droplets,” Fauci told NBC News on Monday, “so if you have a physical covering with a layer, and you put another layer on top, common sense says it will probably be more effective ”.
Asked during the White House briefing last week on whether the new variant will make the masks less effective, he said that on the contrary, the variants are "the reason we absolutely need to wear a mask."
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Dr. Marybeth Sexton, professor of infectious diseases at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, agrees: "The new variants can lead people infected to have a greater amount of virus in the nose, mouth, so that when breathe or speak or cough or sing, they can put more viral particles in the environment than the average person ”.
But, he added,
"that shouldn't be a big deal if everyone wears a mask
.
"
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If used correctly, masks can
prevent the spread
of any respiratory virus, regardless of variant.
"If it wasn't fully obvious six months ago, it is now," said Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease expert at Duke University.
What mask should you use?
The key is to find a balance between comfort and effectiveness.
"If you wear three or four masks, it will filter better because they are more layers," said Scott Segal, chief of anesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist Health Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
"But you're going to be taking them off because they are uncomfortable," he added.
Segal has been studying face shield fabrics for much of the year in response to the pandemic.
Overall, he said, medical-grade three-layer masks offer the best protection for the average individual.
For those who prefer cloth masks, Segal recommends "two layers of high-quality cotton with a relatively high thread count."
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Acceptance of face shields has come a long way in the last year.
Citizens increasingly use them as a fashion statement or to show their love for a sports team.
In the same way, the mask-making industry has exploded with
little government oversight
.
There is no standardized tool, such as one that is equivalent to nutrient information labels on a food product, for consumers who want to compare mask quality.
Technically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates face masks, including face shields, but only when they are specifically marked for "medical purposes."
Most companies do not explicitly endorse their products as such (in fact, most state that their masks are not for medical use), putting the onus on consumers to decide which one might offer the most protection.
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The N95 mask, which has the highest standard of protection, is not recommended for the average person according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and should instead be reserved for healthcare professionals.
"You can have a really good N95 mask, but let's say someone isn't wearing it correctly or is only wearing it 50% of the time," said Leana Wen, an emergency physician and former Baltimore Health Commissioner.
"I'd rather have someone use a cloth mask 100% of the time correctly and consistently," he added.
Illustration of a face mask.
AP
Last year the FDA allowed the Chinese version of the N95, called KN95, for emergency use.
However,
fake versions of the KN95
have flooded the market.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, part of the CDC, has a detailed visual list of fake brands.
An easy way to test fabric masks at home is to hold them against the light.
If light shines through the fibers of the fabric, it probably means that viral particles can penetrate it, Segal said.
Their research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, has also found that a piece of
flannel between layers of cotton
can also be an effective way to filter out viral particles.
This can be added to masks that come with an opening in the middle for users to add their own filters.
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Segal did not recommend using industrial-grade vacuum or coffee filters, due to the lack of evidence on their effectiveness in properly filtering viral particles.
Other filters, such as PM2.5, do not block viral particles, but can be considered as an additional layer for the mask.
No matter what mask you use, the most important thing is to use it correctly.
"I'm more concerned with people who wear masks under the chin, without covering their nose and mouth, than the material in the mask," said Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC.
In effect, "the best quality mask is, frankly, the one that you use correctly for the longest time when interacting with other people," Wolfe said.
The face covers should extend from the tip of the nose to the chin with no side slits.
"If your nose sticks out, it's useless
," Segal said.
Other tips include:
Avoid using valve masks.
Segal explained that, although the valve allows breathing more easily, it breaks the purpose of wearing a mask because it lets viral particles escape, putting others at risk.
Keep other masks on hand in case one breaks or gets dirty.
Hard plastic shields should not be used as a substitute for cloth or medical grade masks, according to the CDC.