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Experts suggest double masking to keep Covid at bay

While N95 masks are the gold standard, the best combination of double masking is to wear a normal cloth mask over a surgical mask

By M. Sai Gopal

Updated On - 28 April 2021, 01:15 AM

Experts suggest double masking to keep Covid at bay — A traffic police is seen wearing double mask during duty in Hyderabad on Tuesday. — Photo: Surya Sridhar

Hyderabad: The fast spreading nature of the new Covid variants during the ongoing second wave has made health officials advocate the practice of double masking and stress the importance of wearing tightly fitted masks that limit the potential exposure to the virus carrying aerosols.

While the N95 masks are the gold standard and well-known to seal the face properly and filter 95 percent of the particles, they come with issues like difficulty in breathing, inadequate oxygen supply and extra costs that discourage people from using them. As an alternative to N95 masks, public health specialists and even the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), United States, have advised double masking as an effective way to prevent exposure to Covid virus.

A majority of the general public, however, have little information over the way the double masks have to be worn and what are the two most effective types of masks that can be combined for double masking. The best combination of double masking is to wear a normal cloth mask over a surgical mask. A good fitting double mask has the potential to reduce exposure to aerosols containing the virus by 96 per cent, according to CDC.

Single cloth masks tend to fit loosely, which can expose individuals to the virus. However, when they are combined with surgical masks, they tend to be far more efficient. Individuals, however, must ensure that surgical and cloth masks in combination are worn tightly. On this, the CDC says ‘effectiveness of cloth and medical masks can be improved by ensuring that they are well fitted to the contours of the face to prevent leakage of air around the masks’ edges”.

This January, the CDC conducted extensive experimental simulations to assess effectiveness between normal double masking and using only cloth masks. The CDC experiments on double masks revealed that when individuals wear double masks, the chances of exposure to aerosols were reduced by 95.9 per cent. The CDC pointed out, “fitting a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask or knotting the ear loops of a surgical mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face, substantially reduced the exposure for the wearer.”