“It’s more important right now, more than ever, when we have variants that are more contagious than they were previously, you want to do everything you can to avoid getting COVID and spreading COVID,” Dr. Anne Rimoin told Inside Edition.
Almost one year into the coronavirus pandemic many people are still confused about how many masks you should wear to stay safe. Dr. Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC, says one is all you need.
“I’m not a double masker. I am a big pusher for everyone to wear one mask,” Besser said.
But Dr. Fauci says two is the way to go.
“If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective,” Fauci said.
However, if you want the most protection, a study by researchers at Virginia Tech found that a tri-layered mask works best, with filter material sandwiched between textile. It’s all leading to a lot of confusion for people, with no right answer.
Inside Edition spoke to Dr. Anne Rimoin, professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
“It’s less about how many masks that you have on and more about how well you are able to protect yourself from spreading the virus or catching the virus,” Rimoin said. "So this really is about making sure that you have adequate filtration.”
The focus on filtration is renewing a push for people to wear medical-grade N95 masks.
“It’s more important right now, more than ever, when we have variants that are more contagious than they were previously, you want to do everything you can to avoid getting COVID and spreading COVID,” Rimoin said.
As of Wednesday, anyone can buy N95 masks on Amazon. Inside Edition found a pack of 50 for under $60, but they won’t be in stock until Feb. 7. The CDC still recommends they be conserved for healthcare workers.
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