The Bay Area’s worst coronavirus outbreak is finally starting to subside, but in its wake, the risks of a pandemic are greater than before.
And as the region begins to reopen, experts say it’s time to double security measures – which may include upgrading or even folding your mask for maximum protection.
These measures are important, they say, because case levels remain high, the vaccine’s launch in California has been unstable and the number of new variants is emerging in the state and across the country. One from the UK is more infectious and may become the dominant strain in March. One found and under study in the bay area, and others in Brazil and South Africa, may avoid antibodies created by new coronavirus vaccines or perhaps even reinfect people a second time, experts say.
“We are in an urgent transmission period because … we are in our third and worst pandemic outbreak, and our vaccine delivery is not yet fast enough,” said Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UCSF. “It is an extremely important time to do everything we can to contain the broadcast.”
Experts are asking the public to step up known security measures of social detachment, hand washing and wearing masks. With more virus transmission everywhere and new variants possibly leading to higher infection rates, surveillance is more important than ever.
In particular, experts are offering new recommendations on whether your mask is suitable.
Several European countries, including Germany and Austria, are requiring everyone to wear surgical or N95 grade masks. Some Asian countries are sending high quality masks to their residents.
Gandhi worked with Linsey Marr, a specialist in airborne virus transmission and a professor of civil engineering at Virginia Tech, in a scientific article on the importance and science behind facial masks. They offer advice on what types of masks offer the best protection.
What is the best face mask there is?
Gandhi said that N95 masks are the gold standard, but it is still a challenge for the general population to obtain them because they are scarcer, need to be tested and can be uncomfortable because they are too tight.
Can I get close to an N95 mask? What about cloth and surgical masks?
Gandhi and Marr’s article cites a study conducted by Marr and some graduate students that tested the effectiveness of 10 different masks. Based on the findings, they recommend a high-quality surgical mask or fabric mask with at least two layers with a high thread count for basic protection.
Who should wear a double mask?
During an appearance this week on NBC’s “Today Show”, leading U.S. infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci said that wearing two masks “makes sense that it would probably be more effective” in preventing droplet passage.
But Gandhi said he did not think it necessary for everyone to wear two masks all the time, and that “the purchase of masks in this country is still uneven and complicated”. Instead, his recommendations focus on certain individuals and situations:
• Older people and medically vulnerable.
• Individuals working in crowded indoor conditions, such as meat processing plants and restaurant kitchens.
• Those indoors with others who are not at home, in a high transmission area. Most of California is in high transmission right now, including the Bay Area.
When looking at the trio of masking, distance and ventilation, one can diminish the other, said Gandhi. So if you’re wearing a single mask, but you’re outdoors, it makes up for the mask. If you are inside and with a double mask, this compensates for the lack of ventilation.
But if you’re particularly worried, she said, do what’s most comfortable for you,
“Anyone who is most concerned about the virus is a great thing to do,” she said.
How can I get the best protection?
According to the study cited by Gandhi, those with concerns have several options for maximum protection:
A well-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask, which acts as a filter. Surgical masks tend to become looser than other masks, so this would improve fit and increase protection.
A three-layer fabric mask, tightly woven, with a filter pocket. Vaccum or HEPA filters can be used, and many companies now sell pre-cut and affordable filter inserts for masks.
The study found that, if the masks fit well, “these combinations should produce an overall efficiency of> 90% for particles of 1 mm and larger, which corresponds to the size of the respiratory aerosols that we consider most important in mediating the transmission of COVID -19, “according to the article.
According to the CDC, studies have shown that multi-layer fabric masks can block 50 to 70% of large, thin drops. Masks with several layers of tightly woven fabric performed better than single layer masks, filtering out almost 50% of fine particles. Surgical masks are 60 to 70% effective in protecting other people and 50% effective in protecting the user, according to studies.
Gandhi emphasized that users must pair a surgical mask with a cloth mask because a surgical mask blocks viruses electrostatically, while a cloth mask blocks them physically, so putting them in layers uses two different mechanisms. The same is true with filters and fabric masks. And when looking for surgical masks, make sure they are made of polypropylene.
Is stratification of more than two masks even better?
There is no need to exaggerate. Overlapping more than two masks is “zero utility,” said Gandhi, and the more you accumulate, the harder it is to breathe.
And the KN95 masks?
Other versions of the N95 are offered, including the KN95 from China and the KF94 from South Korea. Gandhi said that they are exactly the same as the N95 masks, but do not fit as well, so people who want more protection should put on a mask. cloth over them.
Kellie Hwang is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]