What masks protect against the delta variant of COVID-19?

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The CDC is expected to advise fully vaccinated Americans to resume wearing masks while indoors in some public places amid a spike in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variable. The delta variant, first identified in India, is considered highly transmissible and now accounts for over 83% of cases in the United States.

The Director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walinsky, recently began referring to the increase in cases as a pandemic among the unvaccinated, but for those who are returning to wearing masks, a former US Food and Drug Administration official suggested that certain types of face coverings may provide Better protection against the infectious variant.

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“It’s not airborne and not likely to be permeable to a mask,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner, told CBS. “The quality of the mask is important. So if you can get your hands on a KN95 or N95 mask, it will give you more protection.”

Both masks are designed to filter out 95% of the particles entering the mask. KN95 masks are manufactured in China.

Currently, the CDC recommends that N95 respirators be prioritized to protect against COVID-19 in healthcare settings. The agency recommends that workers and essential workers who routinely wore respirators before the pandemic continue to wear N95 respirators and, once available, can be worn in non-health care settings.

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The agency also warns that about 60% of KN95 masks in the United States are counterfeit and do not meet National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards.

Gottlieb said that while there were shortages early in the pandemic, masks have become widely available, so he encourages others to “look at the quality of their masks.”

However, the FDA warns that “the optimal way to prevent airborne transmission is to use a combination of interventions across the hierarchy of controls, not just PPE alone.”

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The CDC has also not issued guidelines suggesting that some masks may provide better protection against the variant, instead suggesting choosing a mask with two or more layers of washable, breathable cloth that completely covers the nose and mouth. Masks should fit snugly against the side of the face without gaps, and have a wire in the nose to prevent air from leaking from above.

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