From double-masking to medical-grade masks, is it time to ramp up protection?

Worker inspecting mask production

From double-masking to medical-grade masks, is it time to ramp up protection?

Increasing concerns over more infectious COVID-19 variants has led some to wonder whether our face masks need an upgrade.

Should we layer two masks on top of each other, as politicians and spectators at the U.S. presidential inauguration did earlier this month? Should we replace cloth masks with medical-grade ones, like some countries in Europe are now recommending? And should we wear masks even when outside?

Dr. Jane Wang, a clinical instructor at UBC who’s studied face masks extensively, said in an email that double-masking might improve fit and can increase that “filtration efficiency.”

Places like France and Germany now recommend surgical masks or medical-grade respirators instead of home-made cloth coverings to slow the spread of more transmissible variants.

WHO advises public to wear face masks when unable to distance

WHO advises public to wear face masks when unable to distance

WHO advises public to wear face masks when unable to distance

Over-60s should use medical-grade masks and all others three-layer fabric ones, health body says

People over 60 or with health issues should wear a medical-grade mask when they are out and cannot socially distance, according to new guidance from the World Health Organization, while all others should wear a three-layer fabric mask.

The announcement on Friday marks a significant change of stance by the WHO, which until now has been reluctant to advocate the wearing of masks by the public because of limited evidence that they offer protection.

The health body’s new guidance document says the over-60s and people with underlying health conditions should wear medical masks in “settings where physical distancing cannot be achieved” because of “increased risk of infection and/or negative outcomes”.

The WHO said people should be advised to wear masks not only on buses and trains but also wherever physical distancing may be hard – in grocery stores, at work, at social gatherings, at mass gatherings and in closed settings, including schools, churches, mosques and other places of worship.

Simple New Experiment Reveals Which Face Masks Are Best at Blocking Droplets

Mask Comparison

Simple New Experiment Reveals Which Face Masks Are Best at Blocking Droplets

We know that by wearing masks, we can help reduce the transmission of COVID-19, and we know that not every type of face mask is equally good at blocking viral droplets when we cough, sneeze, talk – or even simply breathe. But how can we really know for sure?

New research from scientists at Duke University shows you don’t actually need all that much to devise a test. In a proof-of-concept study, they cobbled together a simple, low-cost laser device, and conducted an experiment comparing 14 different types of masks and face coverings.

“Surgical masks are commonly worn by medical personnel and have received a fair amount of testing in clinical settings,” Fischer says.

The results showed that fitted N95 masks blocked the greatest amount of droplets released by the person speaking, followed by surgical masks, then masks made with polypropylene.

Droplet count results for each mask.

Droplet count results for each mask. (Fischer et al., Science Advances, 2020)

Cleaning and disposing of masks

Mask disposal

Cleaning and disposing of masks

BC Centre for Disease Control logo

The following is from the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Medical masks should not be cleaned and reused because putting them in the washing machine may damage the protective layers, reducing their effectiveness. All masks should be changed frequently. Fabric masks should be cleaned frequently. If a mask is wet or visibly dirty it should be thrown-out or cleaned. A wet mask should not be used for an extended period of time.

To dispose of medical masks after use:

  • Wash or sanitize your hands before and after taking your mask or face shield off.
  • Disposable face shields should only be worn once.
  • Put the used masks in a garbage bin. Do not litter.
  • After taking off your mask, wash or sanitize your hands again.
  • When emptying garbage bins, don’t touch used masks or tissues with your hands. All waste can go into regular garbage bins.

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