Fauci suggests double masking to prevent COVID-19 spread

Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said wearing two masks “just makes common sense,” to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), in an interview with NBC’s TODAY earlier this week.  

The purpose of a mask is to prevent droplets and the virus from reaching a person’s mouth, Fauci said in the interview. While no official recommendation has been made by a federal or state agency, he said that wearing two masks or physical coverings makes sense “that it likely would be more effective.” That’s why, he said, some people either double mask or use a version of an N95.

Currently, the CDC recommends N95 masks be reserved for healthcare workers, but experts say layering two masks is easy, adds extra filtration, and helps covers gaps that may occur from improper fit of one mask alone. A commentary published in the journal Med states the best approach is, “a high-quality surgical mask or a fabric mask of at least two layers with high thread count for basic protection.”

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