New research published by the Center for Disease Control on Wednesday found that double-masking increases protection against coronavirus, NPR reports.
"CDC conducted experiments to assess two ways of improving the fit of medical procedure masks: fitting a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, and knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face," the CDC wrote. "Each modification substantially improved source control and reduced wearer exposure."
While wearing two masks does reduce the spread of coronavirus according to the study, it is not the only method to ensure greater safety from the virus. The CDC said that knotting the bands of masks will increase its tightness, which would be similarly effective in reducing virus transmission.
The study was conducted using laboratory tests, simulating coughing and breathing with no mask, cloth masks, and surgical masks, as well as the double masking and knotting strategies.
The ultimate result is that the tighter a mask fits around one's face, the safer the person is from the virus.
As the CDC published the study, they offered four new recommendations on how to wear masks. They suggested not to wear masks which have nose wires, as they can create a gap for the virus to transmit through. They also suggested wearing a mask fitter to better ensure that your mask fully protects your mouth.
The recommendation to double mask is not universal, however. The CDC suggested that those wearing a KN95 mask do not double mask at all, and also suggested that wearing two disposable masks at once will not provide any additional protection.
The news comes as a variety of media outlets and doctors have suggested double masking to prevent the spread of coronavirus over the past month. Some have even suggested wearing three masks at once, although there is no evidence that this provides more protection over double masking.
Dr. Anthony Fauci had previously said that there is no evidence that double masking increases protection against coronavirus. Now that new scientific evidence has been released on the matter, it is unclear whether Fauci will reverse his position. He has not yet commented on the new findings.
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