The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that to curb the spread of COVID-19, all Americans should wear a mask.
The New York Times says that if one mask works, maybe two are twice as beautiful.
“Football coaches do that. Presidents-elect do this. Even senators with a science background do so. As coronavirus cases continue to increase on a global scale, some of the most prominent people in the country have begun to fold their masks – a movement that researchers say is increasingly being supported by data, ”writes the newspaper.
The Times cites Linsey Marr, a virus transmission specialist at Virginia Tech, who said “if you combine multiple layers, you start to achieve fairly high efficiencies” of blocking viruses from leaving, and even entering, nose or mouth.
Of course, there is a disadvantage: “We run the risk of making breathing too difficult”.
The CDC says that COVID-19 spreads “mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets spread through the air when you cough, sneeze, speak, shout, or sing. These drops can land in the mouth or nose of people who are close to you or they can breathe those drops. “
And the federal agency now says that “a cloth mask also offers you some protection. The degree of protection against inhalation of the virus probably depends on the tissues used and how your mask is made (for example, the type of tissue, the number of layers of tissue, the fit of the mask). The CDC is currently studying these factors ”and says that more assessments are needed.
Still, the CDC states that “studies demonstrate that tissue mask materials can also reduce users’ exposure to infectious droplets through filtration, including the filtration of fine droplets and particles smaller than 10 microns. The relative effectiveness of filtration of various masks has varied widely between studies, largely due to variation in the experimental design and particle sizes analyzed. “
Although the Times says the best masks remain N95s, which filter 95% of particles and droplets, “putting two less specialized masks on top of each other can provide comparable protection.”
“Dr. Marr recommended the use of fabric masks that hug the face over surgical masks, which tend to be made with materials that are easier to filter but fit more loosely. An alternative is to use a fabric mask with a pocket that can be filled with filter material, such as vacuum bags. But wearing more than two masks, or applying layers to masks that are already very good at filtering, will bring decreasing returns quickly and make breathing much more difficult, ”writes the newspaper.
In October, President-elect Joe Biden was seen wearing two masks while traveling to North Carolina for a campaign stop, one in cloth over a paper medical mask.
“Biden, who was photographed with a white mask under a navy blue, joined Hunter’s teenage daughter, Finnegan, a few days after her father’s e-mails made national headlines,” reported the Daily Mail. “Finnegan also appeared to be wearing a white mask under a navy blue that said, ‘Vote’.”
Related: Twice as safe: Biden wears TWO masks to stop campaign in North Carolina