Check your fit on this double mask if you want it to work against Covid, the study says

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Emily Sickbert-Bennett, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ​​said that the additional protection provided by double masking is not so much to add layers of fabric, but to eliminate any gaps or areas of adequacy of a mask. University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The study was published Friday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

“We’ve found that wearing two loose-fitting masks won’t give you the advantage of filtering just one, tight … mask,” Sickbert-Bennett said in a statement.

“The best kind of double masking is when you and the person you’re interacting with properly wear a very tight mask,” he said.

Typically, double masking involves placing a disposable surgical or medical mask under a cloth mask.

A man wears a double mask as he walks through Times Square, New York City.
Disposable surgical masks are made of three layers of non-woven fabric typically plastic. The top layer of colored fabric is made of medical grade spun polypropylene, which is a resin polymer that binds thermally to a webl-like structure. Surgical masks are made with nasal cords that can be used to better fit the mask to the face (and protect the glasses from fog).
You can make a disposable mask fit better, the CDC says, by tying the curls of the ears where they join the edge of the mask and then folding and tucking the unnecessary material under the edges. The CDC has a video here to show you how to do it.
When choosing the fabric mask, it should be 2- or 3-layer fabric with a tight fabric, depending on the studies. Use the light test to check the fabric: if you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers when you keep the light mask on, it’s probably not effective.
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Choose cloth masks with nasal cords, the CDC says, and then “bend the nasal cord over your nose to fit your face.”

Place the two masks on the bridge of the nose, under the chin and drag them to the face, leaning along the skin. “The fabric mask should push the edges of the disposable mask against the face,” the CDC says.

An important note: do not put layers on two disposable masks. These are not “designed to fit well and wearing more than one will not improve fit,” the CDC says.

Also, do not double layer a KN95 mask type, the CDC warns. KN95 masks are not certified by the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, but some KN95 mask manufacturers have received emergency approval to use them in healthcare settings in the U.S.

Check the setting

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it explains how to check if the mask fits properly.
  • Cut your hands against your face around the outer edges of the mask.
  • Breathe in and out, making sure no air flows from the area near your eyes or the sides of the mask.
  • If the mask fits well, you will feel hot air coming in through the front of the mask and you may be able to see how the mask material comes in and out with each breath.
  • Remember that none of this works if you pull the mask down to uncover your nose. Be totally masked at all times.

The CDC suggests men shave their beards or at least trim their beards near their faces. “Masks designed for bearded people are being evaluated and information will be provided when available,” the CDC said.

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If you have trouble adjusting, the CDC suggests considering a mask adapter, or gap, to prevent air from escaping to the edges of the mask.

A mask assembler is a small, frame-shaped device that is usually made of solid or elastic plastic. It is placed on a mask and fixed against the face with bows on the head or bows. These devices can be reused, so you will need to clean them thoroughly after each use.

If used correctly, mask filters can increase protection “for aerosols in the range of sizes considered the most important for transmitting SARS-CoV-2,” the virus that causes Covid-19, the CDC said.
Be sure to clean and remove the masks properly. Surgical masks can only be used once, and if they get dirty, the mask should be carefully discarded and replaced, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
The CDC recommends storing any dirty fabric masks in sealed plastic bags until you can wash them.

“Wash wet or dirty masks as soon as possible to prevent them from blooming. Wet masks can be difficult to breathe and are less effective than dry masks,” the CDC says.

Dry the mask completely in a hot or warm dryer, says the CDC, or hang it “in direct sunlight to dry it completely. If you can’t hang it in direct sunlight, hang it or put it on.” flat and let it dry completely “.

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