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- Along with social distance, wearing a well-fitting mask is one of the best protections against COVID-19.
- If you only have a single layer or a loose mask, it may be wise to wear two at a time.
- To double once, wear one cloth mask over another, or wear a cloth mask over a surgical mask.
- This article was medically reviewed by Aimee Desrosiers, PA-C, MS, MPH, a practicing infectious disease medical assistant in Washington, DC.
The CDC recommends (and has even given a mandate) widespread mask wear in public, saying it is necessary to slow down the spread of COVID-19. But as more was learned about the pandemic and the transmission of the virus, health officials began pleading not only to wear one mask but also to wear two.
The most notable advice for double masking comes from Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the country’s leading specialist in infectious diseases, who said it’s healthy to think two masks are better than one. If you looked at the presidential inauguration in 2021, you have probably seen many examples of double masking, including the fashion-forward combination of the poet Amanda Gorman.
Why double masking can be a smart decision
Experts have long suggested that more layers are better when it comes to masks – provided you can still breathe well. But something important has changed at the beginning of 2021.
‘You hear more about double-masking in the media and from health workers because it’s new [COVID-19] variants are more easily transmissible, and with the level of infection we currently have, any form of additional protection can be helpful, “Edgar Sanchez, MD, a physician at Orlando Health, told Insider.
That said, many public health experts do not wear two masks, as reported by Hilary Brueck for Insider. Although experts believe that double masking can theoretically be useful in general, there are a few things that are far more important than doubling people.
“Having more people wear just one mask is more important than having one person wear two masks,” Dr Sanchez said. This may be part of the reason why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not officially changed its guidelines to recommend double masking.
Second, a quality mask that is well-fitting and multi-layered is better than wearing two bad masks. Your mask should fit securely over your nose and sit snugly against your cheeks and chin. If a mask dulls your glasses or sunglasses, it is actually a sign that it does not fit properly and that respiratory drops can escape upwards, said dr. Abe Malkin, the founder and medical director of Concierge MD, told Insider.
Masks with adjustable nose pads can also help create a better fit, and those with two (or preferably three) layers of densely woven material are best for filtering out virus particles. According to the CDC, this means that if the mask is not held, the masks will not pass.
Still wearing two masks can add protection, and there are some situations where public health experts and doctors recommend infectious diseases.
To help, I consulted a number of doctors on how to double the mask and the best base coat and top coat masks to do so. I also gave insight into the best practices for double masking and how to put it on properly.