CDC Says 2 Masks Reduce Coronavirus Exposure [POLL]

NEW YORK — If one mask is good, then two is better. That is the recent recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal health organization said it conducted various experiments during January to assess methods to improve medical procedure mask performance. The experiments tested double masking and knotting and tucking a medical procedure mask.

The CDC found that the cloth mask/medical mask combo blocked 85.4 percent of cough particles, while the knotted/tucked medical mask blocked 77 percent.

A medical procedure mask is also sometimes labeled as a surgical, laser, isolation or dental mask. Their problem is they often do not fit securely to a person's face, allowing air to escape from the sides.

A second experiment, where one person was the source of coughing and another was the one being coughed on, involved both being fitted with double masks or knotted/tucked masks. The CDC found the cumulative exposure of the receiver was reduced by 96.4 percent and 95.9, respectively.

The bottom line, according to the CDC, was that either wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask or knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking it in helped flatten the medical mask's extra material, keeping it close to a person's face.

"Each modification substantially improved source control and reduced wearer exposure," the CDC said.

There are other ways to improve how a mask protects people, according to the CDC, including using a nose wire, a mask fitter or adding layers of materials. More can be found on those here.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, said that masks work and they work best when they fit correctly, MedPage Today reported.

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

The double-mask recommendation comes on the heels of the CDC ordering the use of face masks on almost all public transportation, CNBC reported.

As of Feb. 1, face masks were required by all people traveling on airplanes, ships, trains, mass transit, taxis and ride-sharing vehicles. They are also required at transportation hubs, such as airports, bus terminals and train and subway stations.

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