Are 2 Better Than 1? Double-Mask Recommendation Could Be Coming From CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could soon recommend wearing two masks instead of one to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Fauci made the comments on Fox News, saying when it comes to double masks, adding another layer “makes sense that it would likely be more effective.”

But he hedged his comments by saying the CDC is looking into “double masking,” but more data would be necessary before coming to a final conclusion.

“The CDC is looking at doing a study of seeing whether or not two masks might be better than one, it makes common sense that you would think – and the reason they don’t recommend it right now it’s a science-based organization, [so] they make recommendations based on data and science, so that’s the reason why they’re going to look at that particular issue,” Fauci told Fox News.

On Friday, the CDC said it was conducting a study on the effectiveness of wearing two masks – a cloth mask over a medical mask – to prevent the spread of the virus, according to the news outlet. The agency continued by saying that it does not have “hard data” to support double masking over single-mask wearing.

Dr. John Brooks, chief medical officer of COVID-19 response at the CDC, said at the Infectious Diseases Society of America briefing on Friday (via Fox News) that more information would be shared as it became available, but early evidence suggests that a cloth and medical mask block 90% or more of virus particles – similar to an N95 mask.

“All of you know wearing masks remains a key part of public response to COVID-19. CDC recommends all persons over the age of 2 should wear a mask in public settings and around people outside of your household,” Brooks said during the briefing.

However, Michael Osterholm, an adviser to President Biden’s transition team and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that wearing two masks can “do more harm” if one isn’t worn properly.

Osterholm explained because masks have an “already compromised fit or filtration capacity,” respiratory droplets can escape out of holes.

“If you add on another mask, you may actually make it tougher for the air to move through the two-cloth area, and then at that point, it causes more air to actually leak around the sides, which actually enhances your ability to get infected.”

However, Osterholm said, there are instances when double masking is effective against the virus.