The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday updated its guidance regarding masks after finding that wearing a cloth mask over a surgical mask helped prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The CDC website now recommends that people layer their masks, either with “a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric,” or by wearing “one disposable mask underneath a cloth mask,” which “should push the edges of the inner mask against your face.”
The agency notes that people should make sure they can still breathe easily while wearing a mask, and says not to “combine two disposable masks,” since they “are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve fit,” and not to “combine a KN95 mask with any other mask,” or another KN95 mask.
“Masks substantially reduce exhaled respiratory droplets and aerosols from infected wearers and reduce exposure of uninfected wearers to these particles,” reads the CDC report, which was released on Wednesday. “The effectiveness of cloth and medical procedure 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.”
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a press conference that morning that the agency has identified multiple strategies for improved mask wearing.
“This includes wearing a mask with a moldable nose wire, knotting the ear loops on your mask or wearing a cloth mask over a procedure or disposable mask,” she said.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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