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Ask KHN-Politifact: Is my cloth mask enough? 2022 edition

Ask KHN-Politifact: Is my cloth mask enough? 2022 edition

 


Highly contagious variants of Omicron dominate the United States, with a surge in covid-19 cases and overwhelming many hospital systems. In addition to encouraging Americans to be vaccinated and encouraged, public health officials recommend that people upgrade from their cloth masks to higher quality medical grade masks.

But what does this mean?

Recently Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee Hearing, Top public health authorities have displayed different types of masking. Dr. Rochelle Warrensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wore what looked like a surgical mask layered under a cloth mask, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical adviser, said KN95 Respiratory. I wore something that looked like.

Some local governments and other organizations offer their own policies.For example, Los Angeles County As of January 17, employer must provide N95 or KN95 mask To employees. In late December, the Mayo Clinic began requesting All visitors and patients wear surgical masks Instead of the cloth version.University of Arizona Banned cloth masks We asked everyone on campus to wear high quality masks.

Questions about the level of protection against covids provided by masks have been the subject of debate and debate since the early days of the pandemic as to whether it is a cloth, surgical, or high-end medical grade.I looked up the question last summer.. And as scientific changes and varieties emerge with higher transmission rates, so do opinions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mask guidance After October, before the emergence of Omicron variants. The guidance does not recommend the use of N95 respirators, but only states that the mask should be at least two layers, fit snugly and contain a nose wire.

Experts we consulted said the current CDC guidance was not well advanced. They also agreed on another point. Wearing a cloth mask is better than not wearing a mask at all, but if you can upgrade, or if you can surgically stack cloth, now is the time.

Cloth masks may appear to be more complete than paper surgical mask options, but surgical masks and KN95 and N95 masks are infused with static charges that help filter the particles.

“From the perspective of how Covid is transmitted and what we know about Omicron, it is very important to wear a higher quality mask to stop the spread of Omicron.” I am saying. Dr. Megan Lanny, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Brown University.

A Large-scale real-world research Conducted in Bangladesh and announced in December, surgical masks have shown to be more effective in preventing Covid infections than cloth masks.

Therefore, one simple strategy to improve protection is to layer a surgical mask under the cloth. Surgical masks can be purchased online at a relatively low price and can be reused for about a week.

Lanny said he advises those who choose layers to have a high-quality mask, such as a surgical mask, closest to the face and a low-quality mask on the outside.

If you are really looking for resources Dr. Stephen RubyA professor specializing in infectious diseases at Stanford University and one of the authors of the Bangladesh Mask Study said that surgical masks can be cleaned and reused if financial issues arise. Approximately two years after the pandemic, such masks are cheap and abundant in the United States, and many retailers make them available for free when customers enter the business.

“During the investigation, we told participants that the surgical mask could be washed with detergent and water and reused,” says Luby. “The effects of static charges are lost to some extent, but they are still better than cloth masks.”

Still, experts claim that wearing either a KN95 or N95 respiratory system is the best protection against Omicron, as it is very effective in removing viral particles. The “95” in the name indicates a 95% filtration efficiency of the mask for particles of a particular size. N95 masks are regulated by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, KN95 is regulated by the Chinese government, and KF94 is regulated by the Korean government.

Americans were initially urged not to buy surgical masks or N95 masks early in the pandemic to ensure that healthcare professionals had sufficient supply. But now I can turn around enough.

Therefore, if you have the resources to upgrade to an N95, KN95, or KF94 mask, you should definitely upgrade. Dr. Lina Wen, Professor of Health Policy and Management at George Washington University. She said these models are more expensive and can be offensive, but worth the investment for the safety they offer.

“”[Omicron is] Because it is a much more contagious virus, it has a much lower margin of error when it comes to activities that could once be performed without infection, “Wen said. “Now everything is more dangerous and we need to increase protection in every way.”

Wen also states that while these masks are characterized for one-time use, the KN95 and N95 can be worn multiple times unless in the medical setting. She uses one of her KN95 at a time for over a week.

Another important caveat is that there are many counterfeit N95 and KN95 masks sold online, so consumers should be careful when ordering them and only get them from legitimate and trusted vendors. there is.

CDC keeps NIOSH approved list N95 respirator. Wire cutter When Strategist We publish both guides for purchasing approved KN95 and KF94 masks. Ranney also recommends browsing the website Project N95 Or engineer Aaron Collins “Mask Geek” YouTube Channel..

Also, keep in mind that the risk of infection depends not only on the mask you wear, but also on the masking methods of others in the room. If someone goes to a meeting or restaurant where they remove the mask or wear only a cloth mask, they are more likely to get infected. No matter how careful you are. This chart It shows a big difference.

If you’ve upgraded your mask and are still worried about Omicron, especially the serious Covid, the best thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated and boosted. Dr. Neil Chaison, Associate Professor of Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.

“There was a lot of talk about vaccinated people getting Omicron,” Chaisson said. “But I work in the ICU and probably 95% of the patients we are currently treating have not been advised to get vaccinated.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national news room that produces detailed journalism on health issues. KHN, along with policy analysis and polling, is one of three major operational programs: KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is a donated non-profit organization that provides the public with information on health issues.

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