Are Two Masks Necessary? CDC Officially Releases Double Masking Recommendation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shared the results of a new study, which found wearing two masks rather than one is more effective in protecting an individual and others amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The new research shows that double masking, wearing a surgical mask underneath a cloth mask, could reduce transmission of COVID-19 by up to 96.5%, The New York Times reports.

During a White House press coronavirus briefing on Wednesday, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the CDC, encouraged Americans to wear face-coverings that have two or more layers.

“With cases hospitalizations and deaths still very high, now is not the time to roll back mask requirements,” she said.

“The bottom line is this: masks work and they work when they have a good fit and are worn correctly.”

The CDC report found double masking with a cloth and surgical mask blocked 83 percent of small particles spreading from an unmasked individual, NBC News reports. The study also found that “knotting and tucking” a surgical mask to better fit the face could reduce a person's exposure to the virus by around 65%.

Even though surgical masks are made of polypropylene, which captures viral particles, an improper fit to the face of the mask wearer means small particles can still be inhaled

Since the study was done in a laboratory using three-ply surgical and cloth masks, researchers are unsure how effective the new double masking recommendation will be in the real world.

“But it’s very clear evidence that the more of us who wear masks and the better the mask fits, the more each of us benefit individually,” said Dr. John Brooks, the lead author of the CDC study.

Researchers found the key to stopping the spread was mainly the fit of the masks, although multiple layers are also important to slow the spread.