Raleigh, NC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say you should double down on wearing masks.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina have put this idea to the test by conducting tests to see how much additional protection, if any, would provide double masking. On Friday morning, they announced their conclusions.
In a briefing, they shared their research on the effectiveness of masks in general, the importance of fitting a mask and the additional benefits of double masking.
Fit is the most important
“You really have to address the fit and make sure everything you’re wearing is close to your face,” said Dr. Phillip Clapp, an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics.
According to Clapp, simply ensuring the installation of a single mask can increase efficiency by 20%.
A mask that is not fitted allows air and aerosols to pass through any gaps, which decreases protection against COVID.
Double masking provides increased protection
Tests have shown that double masking provides increased protection, provided the masks are fitted.
“With double masking, we saw a 15% increase [in protection], only through a double masking procedure or surgical masks, “Clapp said.
Moreover, the double mask can provide additional protection, depending on how the wearer covers their masks.
For example, layering a cloth mask over a surgical mask showed an increase of about 40% in efficiency. However, layering a surgical mask over a cloth mask did not provide similar protection.
Mask frames, which help ensure a good fit, also provided additional benefits.
However, even a double mask does not compare to wearing an N-95 mask.
But wearing two surgical masks and adding a frame or straps around the face to prevent leaks and create a good fit, achieved 97% effectiveness in a single test.
In short, the extra layers provide extra protection – but it’s very important to make sure your mask fits, otherwise the leak will allow aerosols to pass through.
Finally, Dr. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, director of infection prevention at UNC, addressed the most important type of “double masking.”
“The most important ‘double mask’ is when you and the person you’re with are both wearing a mask,” she said.
So, whether or not you decide to double-mask, one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID is simply by everyone who wears at least one mask.
Is it dangerous to wear a mask or “double mask”?
Some people have expressed concern that wearing a mask could lower oxygen levels. Could double masking then have a possible disadvantage?
Clapp and Sickbert-Bennett said they don’t think that’s a concern.
Clapp said what worries people is breathing their own air, which increases carbon dioxide and decreases oxygen.
However, he said, these concerns are not supported by the science of how masks work.
“When you wear a mask, the volume of air inside this breathing space is very low. So when I breathe, I draw air from outside,” he said.
That is the whole purpose of masks, he explained. They are meant to filter particles from outside air as you breathe air through masks.
“So bring fresh air in addition to the small amount of air you’ve previously exhaled,” he said.
Sickbert-Bennett said, “It will not be a concern of all our medical colleagues who have reported this.”
When can we stop wearing masks?
Because COVID is transmitted by respiratory droplets, masks are essential to prevent the spread.
“If everyone wears masks all the time, I think this is the best way to end the pandemic,” Sickbert-Bennett said.
She said that when the transmission slows down, the community can reevaluate when it’s time to hang up our masks.
Until then, we can increase our protection by making sure that the masks are fitted – and, if we wish, by double masking.