Two masks might not feel comfortable at first, but it's still safe to wear them. 'The size of an oxygen molecule is orders of magnitude smaller than the pore sizes of masks,' Love says, but the problem is 'many people don't realize the difference between discomfort and a true physiological effect.'Įven with two face masks, you'll still be able to get the oxygen you need and dispel carbon dioxide from your body. Several studies have demonstrated that wearing masks doesn't impede oxygen consumption ( even in adults over 65). Wearing two masks shouldn't make it any harder to breathe, Love says. Wearing two masks won't impede your oxygen flow. If you plan to be near people who aren't in your household, however, even outdoors, 'a simple solution is to double-mask.' Will wearing two masks make it hard to breathe? If you're walking outdoors and aren't in proximity to people outside of your household, a single mask should suffice, Love says.

If you don't already have a mask with three layers, you can mimic this by wearing a cloth mask and a surgical mask - more about that is below. In fact, three layers is really best: A recent (not yet peer-reviewed) study tested 11 mask materials and found that masks are more protective when they have three layers, two tightly woven cloth layers with a nonwoven, high-efficiency filter material sandwiched in between. Many cloth face covers offer little to no protection, she says, depending on the material, number of layers and fit, which is why health experts recommend layering. It's important to understand that cloth masks, like the ones worn routinely by most people, were intended to be a stopgap measure, Love says. Even if you wear surgical masks, which generally have two thin layers already, you can still benefit from doubling up, Love says. Ideally, the more layers the better, especially if you're wearing a thin cloth face cover. 'The more physical barriers implemented, the more of these droplets you can block, thereby reducing the risk to yourself and others around you,' she says. Masks work by trapping and blocking respiratory droplets that contain virus particles, Love explains. 'But, not just any mask will do,' Love emphasizes. 'We must be more stringent with our behaviors now, including social distancing, minimizing trips to public places, avoiding indoor spaces and always wearing a mask.'

'With a more transmissible virus, that means every exposure has increased likelihood of leading to spread,' says Andrea Love, an immunologist and microbiologist. Fauci's recommendation comes in light of new strains of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, that are thought to be more transmissible than the primary strain of SARS-CoV-2. Layering masks might help reduce the transmission of infectious particles.ĭr. Here's what to know about wearing two masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. The concept of double masking is backed by some scientific studies, and no, wearing two masks won't suffocate you.

It's not just about common sense, though. These laboratory-based experiments highlight the importance of good fit to optimize mask performance.'īecause layering masks reduces the porosity of your face covering, it's also more likely to do a better job of protecting you from those infectious respiratory droplets - just like layering jackets protects you from the cold and just as an N95 (which is less porous) has a better shot at protecting you from environmental smoke, while a cloth mask (more porous) doesn't stand a chance. The study found that, 'The receiver's exposure was maximally reduced (>95%) when the source and receiver were fitted with modified medical procedure masks. The closer-fitting the mask is your face, the fewer gaps there are between the mask and your face where respiratory droplets carrying the coronavirus can enter. Now, the CDC recommends the same.Īccording to findings from a CDC study, wearing a cloth mask on top of a surgical mask helps improve the fit of the surgical mask. Anthony Fauci endorsed it because 'it just makes common sense,' the chief medical adviser to the president told NBC News' Today. The new guidance for slowing the spread of COVID-19 is to double mask. For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites.

Baseball army of two masks