Does using a double mask help against covid-19 variants?
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(CNN) ––
Wearing a mask is in trend, but not as a fashion statement.
It may just save a life.
Now, public health officials suggest wearing a double mask as a way to increase the level of protection against the coronavirus.
And also against its many variants that are more contagious.
“If you have a physical protective covering with one layer, you put on another layer.
It is just common sense to think that it is probably more effective.
That's why you see people double-masked or doing a version of a N95 (mask). "
This was pointed out by Dr. Anthony Fauci, now chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, in conversation with NBC's Savannah Guthrie.
Then-president-elect Joe Biden wore a double mask just before Christmas last year.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been wearing double masks for weeks.
In fact, Biden was often seen wearing a surgical mask under his black cloth cover before taking office.
On the day of the inauguration, Biden's pick for transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, and her husband, Chasten Buttigieg, took a double-mask selfie.
Also, poet Amanda Gorman wore a surgical mask under her Prada face shield during the event, where she declaimed a poem.
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National poet laureate Amanda Gorman arrived at the inauguration wearing a double mask.
Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio were seen wearing double masks on Capitol Hill in mid-December 2020.
Layer of protection: the effectiveness of the double mask
A single-layer mask isn't really effective at blocking aerosols, studies have revealed.
Even two- and three-layer homemade fabric masks are only partially protective, with an effectiveness range of 50% to 60%.
Surgical masks, also called medical grade masks, are made of three layers of non-woven fabric, usually made of plastic.
The colored top layer is made from medical grade spunbonded polypropylene.
That is, a heat bonded resin polymer in a network-like structure.
Wearing a double mask is likely to be more effective in stopping the spread of covid-19, says Fauci
A 2020 study found that surgical masks were about 50% effective in protecting the user from other people's sprays.
Meanwhile, they were 60% to 70% effective in protecting others.
But put a surgical mask underneath a cloth mask and you get "more than 91% particle removal efficiency," Joseph Allen noted in a recent interview.
Allen is an associate professor at Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health and director of the Healthy Buildings for Schools program.
In mid-December of last year, Linsey Marr, a professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech and an expert in aerosol transmission of viruses, posted a comment with Dr. Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine at UCSF / San Francisco General Hospital. , in which he asked to use a double mask.
"For maximum protection," Marr and Gandhi suggested that people could "wear a tight-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask."
As they explained, "the surgical mask acts as a filter and the cloth mask provides an additional layer of filtration while improving the fit."
The mask that could end the pandemic
They also pointed to a second option.
A three-layer mask made of a flexible, tightly woven fabric that conforms to the face, with an insert of a 'high-efficiency non-woven filter material', such as a vacuum cleaner bag, could be used.
Best protection
Of course, the best face covers for protection are type N95 masks.
This product is made of woven fibers with an electrical charge that can trap errant particles.
It's a lot like how a sock sticks to a blanket in the dryer.
Similar products include the Chinese KN95, the European versions FFP1 and FFP2, the Australian and New Zealand P2, the Korean First Class and the Japanese DS2.
Consider switching from a cloth mask to a surgical mask.
Or from a surgical mask to a N95 / KN95 or equivalent if available.
Having better masks can help us reduce the risk of more contagious strains, ”Dr. Tom Frieden tweeted Monday.
Frieden is the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Consider upgrading from a cloth mask to a surgical mask, or from a surgical mask to an N95 / KN95 / equivalent if available.
Better masks may help reduce risk from more-contagious strains.
- Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) January 25, 2021
But the CDC does not currently recommend N95 masks for the general public.
In part, due to a shortage of masks for healthcare workers.
Also because of the concern that people do not tolerate masks, as they can make breathing difficult.
"I'm concerned that if we suggest or require people to use N95, they won't use it all the time," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the new CDC director, told Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, both of CNN, during a forum on Wednesday.
"It's very difficult to breathe when you wear them (the masks) correctly," Walensky said.
"They are very difficult to tolerate when you use them for long periods."
The controversy over the use of N95 masks 2:58
Proper use and care of your mask, double or not
Regardless of which mask you use, make sure you do it correctly, even if you have a double mask.
Don't leave your nose uncovered in either layer.
The two masks should pass over the bridge of the nose, under the chin and be flush with the face, resting along the skin, experts explain.
When choosing your fabric mask, you should look for a tight weave, according to studies.
Use the light test to verify the fabric.
If you can easily see the outline of individual fibers when you hold the mask up to the light, it may not be effective.
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N95: When fitted to the user's face and used correctly, N95-type masks can trap 95% of particles around 0.3 microns.
Dr. Abraar Karan told CNN that if all Americans wore this type of mask it would "stop the epidemic."
But be careful with N95 masks with exhalation valves, as they return airflow to the environment.
And also with the imitation N95s.
(Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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FFP2-FFP3: Some European countries require the use of FFP1 and FFP2 masks, which stand for "filter mask respirator".
An FFP1 filter has a minimum filtration efficiency of 80%, an FFP2 is 94% effective, and an FFP3 is 99% effective against airborne infectious diseases.
(Photo: LENNART PREISS / AFP via Getty Images)
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KN95: They are certified to Chinese standards and also filter and capture 95% of 0.3 micron particles.
But there are differences: the filter layers of N95 respirators were "8 times thicker and had a dipole charge density 2 times that of KN95 respirators," according to a study published in December.
(Photo: Sean Gallup / Getty Images)
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Surgical: Designed for use by surgeons and other healthcare professionals, surgical grade masks are loose, disposable devices;
they do not "filter or block very small airborne particles that can be transmitted by coughing, sneezing or certain medical procedures," the FDA stressed.
Surgical masks are for single use only, and if they are dirty or breathing is difficult, the mask should be disposed of and replaced carefully, the FDA said.
(Photo: GEORGES GOBET / AFP via Getty Images)
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Of fabric: The effectiveness depends on the type of fabric used and the number of layers.
They can be only 26% effective.
According to the CDC, "Multiple layers of fabric with higher yarn counts have demonstrated superior performance compared to individual layers of fabric with fewer yarns, in some cases filtering almost 50% of fine particles less than 1 micron ".
(Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP via Getty Images)
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Double mask: To increase their chances, people have started to put cloth masks over surgical ones for added protection.
In the photo, the candidate for Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg.
(Photo: Stefani Reynolds - Pool / Getty Images)
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Collars / Scarves / Leggings: Don't wear knitted scarves or balaclavas for protection, the CDC says.
Don't use a face shield without a mask, the agency cautions, as it won't protect against the tiny airborne droplets that can float under and in the shield.
And forget about kerchiefs and scarves.
(Photo: JAVIER SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images)
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If you're using a fabric mask, use the light test to check the fabric - if you can easily see the outline of individual fibers when you hold the mask up to the light, it probably won't be effective.
"A surgical mask with a cloth mask on top can achieve a particle removal efficiency of greater than 91%," said Professor Joseph Allen of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
(Photo: CHRIS DELMAS / AFP via Getty Images)
And be sure to clean and dispose of your masks properly.
Surgical masks are for single use only.
And if they are dirty or difficult to breathe, the mask should be disposed of and replaced with care, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
The CDC recommends storing dirty cloth masks in sealed plastic bags until you can wash them.
«Wash wet or dirty masks as soon as possible to avoid mold growth.
Wet masks can be difficult to breathe and are less effective than dry ones, "the CDC noted.
Dry the mask completely in a warm or hot dryer, the CDC said, or hang it "in direct sunlight to dry completely.
If you can't hang it in direct sunlight, hang it or let it dry completely.
covid-19 mask pandemic prevention