Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases on Monday said double masking makes sense and could be more effective at preventing the transmission of the coronavirus.
“If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective. That’s the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95,” Dr. Fauci explained in an interview with the TODAY show.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), however, doesn’t explicitly state that people should double up on facial coverings. The health agency says that multi-layer cloth masks can block up to 70% of respiratory droplets that can carry the deadly virus.
“Multiple layers of cloth with higher thread counts have demonstrated superior performance compared to single layers of cloth with lower thread counts,” the CDC wrote in a report on cloth masks published Nov. 20, 2020.
While N95 masks were reported to achieve up to 97% filtration of unwanted particles, researchers found that some homemade masks only offered as little as 1% filtration.
According to researchers at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, who evaluated approximately 400 masks made by community volunteers, the best design was that of a double-layer mask made of heavyweight “quilter’s cotton,” consisting of a thread count of 180 or more.
The inferior masks consisted of single-layer or double-layer designs made of lightweight cotton, the study added.
The medical journal Cell on Dec. 15, 2020 published a study that revealed either wearing a cloth mask on top of a surgical mask or wearing a triple layer mask consisting of varying fabrics can filter up to 90% of particles.
The World Health Organization said in a report published Dec. 1, 2020. “Although a minimum of three layers is recommended for nonmedical masks for the most With the emergence of new highly transmissible mutations of COVID-19, some members of the Biden administration have adopted double masking for themselves.
On Inauguration Day, Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation nominee, wore a surgical mask underneath his cloth mask.
Andrew Yang, who is currently a contender for mayor of New York City, tweeted a photo of himself wearing a surgical mask underneath a cloth face mask.