CDC encourages N95, KN95 masks to block the spread of COVID-19 in the omicron surge

Atlanta ―――― The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends choosing N95 or KN95 masks, which are more protective than cloth masks, to prevent highly contagious Omicron variants and slow the spread of coronavirus.

“The mask is designed to contain your respiratory droplets and particles,” the CDC said on its website. “It also provides protection from particles emitted by others.”

Related: Which type of face mask is best for the recent surge in Omicron?

Single-layer cloth masks may not provide adequate protection against the highly infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19. In a recent Wall Street Journal report..

Many infectious disease experts say that cloth masks are comfortable and fashionable, so they prefer cloth masks, but these masks can only block large droplets of COVID-19 and block viruses. Small aerosols and particles that can carry cannot be blocked.

Why is the CDC making new recommendations now?

The CDC said masks were previously in short supply, but are believed to be good at filtering air.of

Updated guidance posted late Friday afternoon, CDC authorities have removed concerns related to supply shortages and more clearly stated that properly fitted N95 and KN95 masks provide the most protection.

Mask guidance fluctuated during the pandemic process.

The CDC did not initially recommend that healthy people wear face masks, but the guidance has since changed over time. In April 2020, the CDC began advising people to wear cloth masks in public places where it is difficult to maintain social distance. The CDC has changed its guidance on face covering as new information emerges regarding the spread of the new coronavirus. Because the virus is highly contagious, we recommend face masks as a way to prevent the spread of the virus, even for people who are asymptomatic.

Related: Omicron vs. Delta: The study examines the difference in symptoms between the two coronavirus variants

For most of the pandemics, the CDC advised Americans to wear masks indoors and outdoors if they were within 6 feet of each other.

Then, in April 2021, as vaccination rates soared, agencies relaxed guidelines for wearing masks outdoors, and fully vaccinated Americans were not in a large crowd of strangers. Said that it was no longer necessary to cover the face. In May, guidance was further relaxed, allowing fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks outdoors, both in the crowd and in most indoor environments.

However, in July 2021, the CDC changed the course of some masking guidelines, and in parts of the United States where coronavirus delta variants were contributing to the proliferation of infections, even vaccinated people were indoors. I advised you to wear a mask.

Guidance still required masks in crowded indoor environments such as buses, planes, hospitals, prisons, and homeless shelters, but paved the way for reopening work and other places.

Some public health experts said the previous CDC decision was based on good science. However, those experts were also critical, noting that Americans did not need to document their vaccination status, which created the honor system. Unvaccinated people who didn’t want to wear masks in the first place thought masks were an opportunity to do what they wanted to do, they said.

What are the advantages and challenges of N95 and KN95 masks?

According to the CDC, N95 masks filter 95% of the particles in the air and are approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Related: U.S. Omicron Peak: Fauci predicts a sharp drop in cases towards “end of January”

The mask also adheres tightly to the face when properly worn. However, the N95 mask cannot be cleaned. If it is dirty, damaged, or difficult to breathe, it should be discarded. N95 respirators tend to be more expensive than masks.

The KN95 mask is a respiratory system that meets international standards. However, the CDC warns that about 60% of KN95 respiratory organs in the United States are counterfeit and do not meet NIOSH requirements.

The CDC previously recommended N95 masks only to healthcare professionals. Instead, I advised to wear a two-layer (or more) cloth mask that completely covers the face and mouth and fits “just” to the sides of the face.Gap) There is also a nose wire to prevent air leaks from the top mask.

Who should wear a mask?

CDC It is recommended to wear a mask if you are over 2 years old If not fully vaccinated, in an indoor public place. It is also recommended for people who are fully vaccinated and are in areas with high or high infection rates, or who are completely vaccinated and have weakened immunity.

According to the CDC, it is generally not necessary to wear a mask in outdoor settings, but in close contact with other people who are not fully vaccinated in crowded settings or in areas where COVID-19 cases are high. You should consider wearing a mask for activities.

The explosion of the current Omicron fuel coronavirus infection in the United States is causing the disruption of basic functions and services. This is the latest example of how COVID-19 can withstand a pandemic for more than two years.

Related: Pfizer: Human trial of Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine starting in late January

In studies of coronavirus and other bacteria, wearing a mask can prevent an infected person from spreading the disease to others. Evidence also suggests that masks may provide some protection to those who wear them.

The virus spreads from droplets that are sprayed during coughing, sneezing, and conversation. Surgical masks or cloth masks can prevent most of these particles from spreading.

Some droplets can still spread, but wearing a mask can reduce the amount and benefit others. Dr. Monica Gandhi, a virus expert at the University of California, San Francisco, found that exposure to small amounts of the virus does not make people so sick.

How is the Omicron variant different from other variants?

Omicron variants spread more easily than other coronavirus strains and are already predominant in many countries. It also makes it easier for people who have been vaccinated with or have been infected with a previous version of the virus. However, in early studies, Omicron is less likely to cause more serious illness than the previous delta type, and vaccination and booster immunization still provide strong protection from serious illness, hospitalization, and death. ..

the scientist I’m seeing a signal that the vigilant Omicron wave of COVID-19 may have peaked In the UK, we are trying to do the same in the US. At that point, incidents can begin to decline dramatically.

Reason: This variant is so contagious that there may be a shortage of infected people only one and a half months after it was first detected in South Africa.

Related: CDC Guidelines: When is the best time to be tested for COVID-19 after exposure?

At the same time, experts warn that much is still uncertain about how the next phase of the pandemic will unfold. The stagnation and decline of both countries are not occurring everywhere at the same time or at the same pace. And even if the drop-off passes, the misery of weeks or months is still ahead for patients and overwhelming hospitals.

According to Mokudad, in a highly influential model unique to the University of Washington, the number of cases reported daily in the United States reached 1.2 million by January 19, after which “everyone who could be infected”. It is predicted to decrease sharply “just because it is infected.”

The number of cases of COVID-19 continues to increase. According to the CDC, the 7-day moving average hovering around 750,000. This is an increase from about 64,000 in late October. The 7-day moving average of COVID-19 deaths is currently around 1,600, up from around 750 in late November.

FOX News and The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was reported by Los Angeles.