Federal health officials Wednesday urged Americans to consider wearing two masks as one of several strategies to better protect themselves against the threat of more contagious variants of the coronavirus.
Washington Post has an article today on why and how to double mask. (It’s in their free coronavirus coverage. No paywall.)
I wonder if the masks with a filter pocket meet that requirement when a filter is used. I use a paper towel as a filter, doubling the paper towel would be an easy fix.
I recently bought some surgical masks to double mask if I have to go into a store. I have double masked a few times. It's a little harder to breathe, but not a significant difference to me. Might be harder for others.
I have made cotton cloth masks with 3 layers. One layer is a pocket for a filter layer. I use those blue automotive shop paper towels as the filter. I'm hoping this is sufficient.
I have been double masking for weeks. I don’t venture out much except for walks, but when I do, I wear a medical mask with a 3 layer cotton mask and filter on top.
one of the doctors who is affiliated with the CDC said he is very concerned with people wearing 2 masks because of the gaps that appear when people have more than one mask. 2 masks may be less effective than one mask worn correctly. He did not advise 2.
I've been double-masking since the new variant from Great Britain showed up in my area. I ordered some kn95s from Amazon that fit snugly on my face, then wear a cloth mask on top. It's not my favorite thing, but it sure beats getting/spreading Covid.
I heard Dr Osterholm discussing this. He said it’s not a yes or no answer. The important components are breathability and fit. He said *if* you can breathe fairly easily and there are no gaps then it’s worth wearing two masks. But if it makes you huff and puff you’re putting more force behind your air which means you’re blowing out and sucking in more air than you would normally. The forceful breathing can also open gaps at the side which defeats the purpose.
I work for the COVID outreach department of the county. We supply the supplies to the testing sites and occasionally have to go out to the sites to help. When I go to a site, I have to wear a surgical mask and face shield (hated that, fogs up way too much). In the office I have to wear a surgical mask. I tend to wear a cloth mask under it, but question if it is helping as the cloth mask is bigger so the surgical mask is fitted against the cloth mask and covers my nose and mouth but doesn’t go over to the side of my face too far. I have one N95 mask, but only those who swab are supposed to wear them.
It makes sense to me . Looking at the filters in my home I can see a lot of fine particles prevented from recirculating because this filter caught the particles. A cloth mask on the outside would stop quite a bit of residue from reaching onto and sticking to a mask underneath. Sealing all the edges around the mouth and under the chin is crucial.
> 
02-10-2021, 01:50 PM
