{"id":8259,"date":"2021-02-02T22:16:38","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T22:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=8259"},"modified":"2024-03-05T23:48:24","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T23:48:24","slug":"should-i-double-mask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/should-i-double-mask\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I double mask?","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With more contagious \u2014 and potentially more dangerous \u2014 COVID-19 virus variants spreading into the United States, the concept of double masking has been getting a lot of attention in the news and on social media, particularly after Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared to endorse the idea in a recent interview.<\/p>\n<p>Is there benefit to double masking? Are you putting yourself at risk if you aren\u2019t double masking? We asked Michael Myint, MD, infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at MultiCare, for his expert advice on this topic.<\/p>\n<p>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) first issued its masking recommendations for members of the public to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in July 2020. Even with new variants being detected, \u201cThe CDC hasn\u2019t changed their stance on this in regards to what people should wear in public,\u201d said Dr. Myint.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, he is quick to point out that what people are actually using for masks can vary quite a bit, from a single-layer bandanna to the N95 masks primarily being used by health care workers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a big difference between what meets the minimal requirement to, say, get into a store, and a mask that provides the level of protection the CDC is recommending,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The CDC recommendations include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Choose a mask that has\u00a0two or more layers\u00a0of washable, breathable fabric.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a mask\u00a0that\u00a0fits snugly\u00a0against the sides of your face without gaps.<\/li>\n<li>Wear the mask so it\u00a0completely covers\u00a0your nose and mouth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There are a couple of key components required in order for a mask to be protective for you and those around you:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Layers<\/strong>.\u00a0The CDC recommends \u201ctwo or more layers.\u201d Most commercially made cloth masks include at least two layers. Many offer an option to add a third, filtering layer that can be replaced as needed. Medical grade masks, like a surgical mask, are made with three layers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fit<\/strong>.\u00a0Masks need to cover your nose and chin and fit snugly along the sides. If a mask gaps on the side \u2014 or if you don\u2019t cover your nose when wearing the mask \u2014 the air particles you are breathing out, as well as breathing in, are not being sufficiently filtered through the mask.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Single-layer masks don\u2019t provide sufficient filtration to prevent you from breathing in particles in the air or keep particles you are breathing out from circulating. But this isn\u2019t anything new. The renewed attention on this fact is primarily because the new virus variants spread more easily; so a\u00a0single-layer mask may offer you even less protection against these newer variant strains of COVID-19 than before.<\/p>\n<p>If the mask you are using is only a single layer, like a bandanna or neck gaiter, or if it is loose or otherwise fits poorly, you may want to consider wearing two masks \u2014 for example a cloth mask over a three-ply medical mask. Upgrading your masks to ones that fit better and include the recommended number of layers is also an option.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe concept of \u2018more is better\u2019 is partially true,\u201d said Dr. Myint. But there is one significant downside to wearing multiple masks at the same time: Breathability. The more layers of cloth you put on your face, the harder it is going to be to breathe easily.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you have to keep pulling your masks down to breathe, they\u2019re not going to help you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line, if you are currently using a multi-layer mask (ideally a commercially made, three-layer mask including a filter layer) that you are wearing correctly and that fits well, you don\u2019t need to change your masking routine right now.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to note, however, that wearing any mask or face covering while out in public is better than none at all, and the best mask for you is the one that you will wear\u00a0consistently\u00a0 \u2014 and correctly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am not only concerned about the person who is wearing a single-layer bandana,\u201d said Dr. Myint, \u201cbut also the person wearing a fully protective three-layer mask pulled down under their nose.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With more contagious \u2014 and potentially more dangerous \u2014 COVID-19 virus variants spreading into the United States, the concept of double masking has been getting a lot of attention in the news and on social media, particularly after Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared to endorse the idea in a recent interview. Is there benefit to double [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-covid-19"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should I double mask? - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is there benefit to double masking? 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