Ring in the New Years by wearing N95 masks over cloth masks, health experts say

“Because we know COVID is airborne, the quality of the mask really matters,” Dr. Leana Wen, emergency physician and professor of public health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, told MarketWatch. And a single-layer cloth mask “offers very little protection against the delta variant, and certainly against the highly contagious omicron variant,” she added. “This is why it is so essential to upgrade our masks. ”

It is therefore not surprising that searches for “mask”, “N95” and “type of particulate respirator” tend to be used on Google. GOOGL Monday morning. Indeed, “where to buy N95 masks” was in the top 10 most googled “where to buy” searches over the past year.

A box of 20 N95s costs around $ 40 to $ 45 on the Project 95 site. Likewise, a pack of 10 will for just under $ 20 at Home Depot and elsewhere.

Wen suggested wearing KN95 or KF94 masks whenever you are in confined spaces with many other people – a common experience in public transport or on airplanes, for example, or during festivities at the indoor like the upcoming New Years parties. “These masks are of the highest quality for filtration, and that’s what we need amid this pandemic of a hugely contagious variant,” she said .

“We need to promote better quality masks everywhere because at the moment a single-layer fabric mask just doesn’t cut it against omicron,” said former US surgeon general Dr Jerome Adams. CNN’s AC360 last Thursday. “We need more testing. We need better masking. This is how we get by. “

Related: We asked 6 doctors what masks they wear each day to protect themselves from COVID-19. Here’s what they shared.

And: Doctors reveal exactly what type of face mask travelers should wear on planes to protect against COVID-19

Indeed, from Monday, the trial judge of Ghislaine Maxwell has ordered everyone in the Manhattan courthouse to wear N95 masks or masks of a similar quality, noting “obviously we have the variant” to consider. Jurors wore fabric masks or surgical masks for much of the trial.

New York City also distributes 500,000 test kits and 1 million KN95 masks through community organizations in light of a new spike in cases, including nearly 50,000 on Christmas Eve alone.

And on Sunday, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders called on Congress to require the mass production and distribution of N95 masks. “As we are faced with the rapidly spreading omicron variant, we must remember that not all face masks are created equal,” he tweeted.

Traps smaller particles

So what makes “95” the magic number? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that N95 respirators (commonly known as “masks”) approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the United States filter at least 95% of airborne particles.

KN95 masks are similar, except that they are certified differently; KN95 is the Chinese standard, while N95 is the American standard. But the makers of KN95 can apply for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthcare facilities. And the The FDA has granted EUA to several KN95 masks already.

KF94 masks filter 94% of aerosol particles and meet South Korean government standards. They have not yet obtained the EUA from the FDA for healthcare facilities.

The N95, KN95 and KF94 masks are made with an electrostatically charged material that catches smaller particles – preventing you from inhaling them – and filters out microscopic particles as small as a few nanometers.

In comparison, sheet masks can be effective at filtering out large droplets, but smaller particles and potentially virus-carrying aerosols in the air can still pass through. Again: Cloth masks are always better than not wearing a mask at all, as multi-layered cloth masks can still block 50-70% of fine droplets and particles, said the CDC. But N95 filters out 95% of particles. “Many of us in public health have been saying it for over a year now: A simple one-layer sheet mask doesn’t provide nearly enough protection,” Wen said.

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For those struggling to get their hands on the N95, KN95, or KF94 masks, Wen noted that double masking with a fitted three-layer surgical mask and a cloth mask can increase the effectiveness of your cloth masks or surgical. “People should at least wear a three-layer surgical mask,” she said.

Counterfeits exist

But be aware that counterfeit N95 and KN95 masks are on the increase online, unfortunately, so the CDC has this guide to spotting NIOSH approved real and fake masks. NIOSH also has a List of approved N95 respirators often sold in some drugstores and home improvement stores.

And organizations such as Project 95, which works to protect communities by providing equal access to personal protective equipment such as N95 masks and COVID-19 testing, is ensuring that it sources NIOSH-certified and FDA-approved masks and test kits.

True, it doesn’t matter how effective the mask itself is if someone wears it badly. The mask should cover both your nose and mouth, with the mask attached under your chin. And it should fit snug against your face, with no large openings or spaces around your nose, mouth, or sides of your face. You can find CDC mask wearing guidelines here.

The number of new COVID-19 cases continues to increase at an exponential rate, with record cases reported in several states including Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey and New York over the holiday weekend. The United States reported 189,714 new cases on Dec. 26, according to the New York Times tracker; this figure is lower than it should be given the likely slowdown in the number of COVID-19 tests performed on Christmas Day. The daily average is 214,299 cases per day, the highest figure since January 17.