America’s top infectious disease expert said it is “possible” that federal health officials would soon recommend “double masking” to better prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
Speak to the Washington PostDr. Anthony Fauci reiterated that researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating this issue and note that more data is needed before a decision will be made.
“That’s possible,” said the CDC Two Masks, Fauci said. “Only [in] discussions with my CDC colleagues yesterday … the CDC wants to do a survey to see if two masks might be better than one, it makes sense you’d think – and the reason they don’t recommend it now it’s one on science based organization, [so] they make recommendations based on data and science, so that’s why they start looking at that particular issue. ”
Fauci’s comments come after the CDC said on Friday that it is currently studying the effectiveness of double masks, specifically a cloth mask placed over a medical mask, to stop the spread of the coronavirus, although it does not yet have ‘hard data’ to support or it would be better than using a single mask.
FAUCI BACKS ‘DOUBLE MASKING’ IN CORONAVIRUS FIGHT
“We don’t recommend for or against double masking,” said Dr. John Brooks, the CDC’s Chief Medical Officer of the COVID-19 response. “We want to bring forward all the options available to people. If we can get people to mask their periods, that’s the first big step.”
Brooks, who attended Friday’s briefing from the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said the agency would “share the information as soon as possible.” He said there is some evidence to suggest that using a cloth and medical mask could block more than 90% or more of the virus particles, which is close to the level of protection that N95 masks provide.
“You all know that wearing masks remains an important part of the public response to COVID-19,” Brooks said in his opening remarks. “CDC recommends all persons over the age of 2 to wear a mask in public settings and around people outside of your household.”
CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Brooks added that the agency is continuing to evaluate the effectiveness of different material combinations, warning that sometimes more does not necessarily equate to better, citing the example of multiple condom use. However, if using a double mask makes a person feel safe and leads someone else to use the mask, they don’t see this as a problem.
“If double masking is an option they would use for using a mask, I would wholeheartedly endorse it,” he said at the time.
Fox News’s Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.