Wearing a face mask is something that almost all of us do every day to protect against Covid-19. The advice on the best types and how to wear them has changed over time.
In the USA, dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s leading medical adviser, urged Americans to ‘double mask’ – that is, to wear two face masks on top of each other.
“It just makes common sense that it would probably be more effective,” he said.
President Biden regularly wore two blankets during a campaign, and during his inauguration last week, some high-profile guests were seen wearing medical-quality masks under face masks.
What’s behind this advice?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet recommended double masking, although it does recommend a mask with ‘two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric’”.
Facial coatings with more layers, and tightly woven, are better because they block more particles. Medical-grade masks also give the wearer more protection than regular face masks.
Researchers at Virginia Tech University found
Laying two cloth covers on top of each other improved the efficiency from 50% to about 75% – and wearing a medical mask under a cloth cover filtered the particles even more effectively.
But the research is still at a fairly early stage and is mostly conducted in laboratory conditions rather than in the real world.
The World Health Organization does not currently recommend
wear two masks.
Read more about masks.