The New York Times published an article on Tuesday advocating for its readers to double up on masking as a method for extra protection against coronavirus.
"Double-masking isn’t necessary for everyone," the article states, but it could be helpful "for people with thin or flimsy face coverings."
According to Virginia Tech virus transmission expert Dr. Linsey Marr, "if you combine multiple layers, you start achieving pretty high efficiencies." However, "we run the risk of making it too hard to breathe," she noted.
The article noted that N95 masks are the best for preventing transmission of the virus, but that double-masking with other masks can achieve a similar level of protection and health professionals are more in need of N95 masks than the general population.
The article comes just over one week before President-elect Joe Biden is set to be sworn into office. Biden said that he would establish a nationwide mask mandate on his first day in office back in August, but has pushed for such a policy as recently as December.
He has since clarified that the mask mandate would only apply to places where the federal government has jurisdiction, such as federal buildings. He would, however, encourage individual states to adopt mask mandates in order to combat the spread of coronavirus.
The use of face masks to combat the coronavirus has been controversial. Dr. Fauci, who has been the top doctor running the US response to the virus, initially told the public that face masks are not necessary for combatting the virus. He later admitted that he lied in order to ensure that enough protective equipment was available for healthcare workers. Experts in multiple relevant fields generally agree that masks are useful for preventing the spread of the virus.
Nevertheless, the mixed messaging on their efficacy has fomented distrust among many members of the general public, with some disputing the science behind wearing masks while others have criticized mask mandates as a violation of personal freedom. Some have gone as far as to protest against the use of masks, with opponents of them being dubbed "anti-maskers."
38 states and the District of Columbia currently require mask-wearing in indoor public spaces by residents.
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