America’s top expert on infectious diseases said it is possible that federal health officials may soon recommend ‘double masking’ in an effort to better prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Talk to the Washington Post, The dr. Anthony Fauci reiterates that researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating this matter and note that more information is needed before a decision is made.
“It is possible,” that the CDC may recommend two masks, Fauci said. “Only [in] discussions with my CDC colleagues yesterday … the CDC is doing a study to see if two masks might be better than one, it is logical that you would think – and the reason why they do not recommend it now it is a science-based organization, [so] they make recommendations based on data and science, so that’s why they’re going to look at the specific issue. ‘
Fauci’s comments come after the CDC said on Friday that it was currently studying the effectiveness of double masks, specifically a cloth mask over a medical mask, to stop the spread of the coronavirus, but did not yet have ‘hard’ data to confirm. or it would not be. better than using a single mask.
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“We do not recommend or oppose double masking,” said Dr. John Brooks, CDC’s chief medical officer of COVID-19, said. “We want to make all the options available to people. If our people can get the mask, that’s the first big step.”
Brooks, who took part in the Infectious Diseases Society of America briefing on Friday, said the agency would “share” the information as soon as possible. He said some evidence suggests that the use of a cloth and medical mask can block more than 90% of virus particles, which is close to the level of protection offered by N95 masks.
“Everyone knows that wearing masks is an important part of the public response to COVID-19,” Brooks said in his opening speech. “CDC recommends that people over 2 years of age wear a mask in the public environment and with people outside your household.”
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Brooks added that the agency continues to evaluate the effectiveness of different material combinations, warning that sometimes more is not necessarily equal to better, citing the example of multiple condom use. However, if someone uses a double mask, feels safe and leads it to another person using mask, he does not consider it a problem.
“If double masking is an option they would use to use a mask, I would wholeheartedly endorse it,” he said at the time.
Fox News’ Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.