Does double masking work?
I have a quick trip coming up soon and masks are required for the flights. Does double masking work well in taking actions to help keep yourself and others safe?
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Answers ( 1 )
Double masking can work, but in order to reap the benefits, it has to be done right, or the benefit is lost. The purpose of double masking is dual:
1. Primary: It helps improve the fit of disposable/surgical style masks so that virus-laden droplets don't escape around the mask.
2. Secondary: It provides an additional layer of filtration. This is secondary, because the second mask in a double-masking setup is supposed to be cloth, and cloth masks only offer a limited amount of filtration protection. Still, it's better than not wearing it, as long as you do it correctly.
There are a few important things to keep in mind when double masking:
- Only do it when you're using a well-fitting cloth mask over a surgical mask that doesn't fit perfectly. By wearing the cloth mask over the disposable medical mask, you get the filtration of the medical mask (plus a little extra from the cloth), but with an improved fit because the cloth mask helps hold the disposable mask against your face, where gaps sometimes occur.
- An N95, KN95, or KF94 mask will usually provide better protection than the double-mask combination, as long as the N95/KN95/KF94 mask fits well, and is authentic. However, many people don't check the fit of these masks to ensure they provide a good seal, and there are many counterfeits out there.
- Using the wrong double-mask combination can actually make things worse. Using two disposable surgical style masks won't help much, since layering them doesn't improve the fit, and the main problem is the gaps around the outside of the mask rather than the filtration of the layers. Wearing a cloth mask under a surgical mask just creates a gap between the surgical mask (which offers greater protection than cloth) and your face, making it less effective. Wearing a cloth mask over a KN95/N95/KF94 mask shouldn't be necessary if the mask fits well, and could create problems. However, if the only mask you have available is a KN95 or similar that doesn't fit snugly (or you're not sure is authentic) then layering a cloth mask over it may help slightly. Wearing a cloth mask under a KN95 or similar is a terrible idea, as it compromises the fit and effectiveness of the filtration by interfering with the seal.
Assuming that you do things correctly, then yes, double-masking does have the potential to provide both you and your fellow passengers improved protection. Generally speaking, a well-fitted and authentic N95/KN95/KF94 mask will do a better job than the standard double-mask combination. But if you can't get access to such a mask, then your next best option is layering a cloth mask over a disposable medical/surgical-style mask. For further instructions and tips on how to set up your mask(s), check the official page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/effective-masks.html