Should I use Brace or Masking Double to prevent coronavirus?

Wearing a face mask to slow down the release of Covid-19.

But some people still wear masks incorrectly or use one that doesn’t fit properly on the face, allowing aerosols that carry Coronavirus grains to come out.

One solution to this problem is ‘double masking’ – wearing two masks at the same time. Another uses a ‘fitter’ or brace to make a mask more relaxed against you. Both approaches aim to prevent air from escaping around the edge of a mask and cause tiny droplets to become blocked by the material, which is a filter.

What is the scientific evidence that double masks and masks prevent leakage? Which approach is best? And how do they compare to N95 inhalers that filter 95% of airborne particles?

Double mix

In February 2021, the Centers for Disease Control updated their guidelines on effective masks, which now include a recommendation that people ‘add layers of material to a mask’. The group recommends either wearing a cloth mask with several layers of clothing or wearing a delicate mask under the cloth mask.

When asked about double masking on Jan. 25, the president’s chief medical adviser and director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, said it was “common sense to be more effective. “Common sense is not science.

To date, only one study has tested the efficacy of double sheltering. Led by CDC epidemiologist John Brooks, the trial included a measurement of the grains that reached a crooked head from a simulated cough, which showed that a double mask combination blocked more than 85% of grains, by comparison to 56% and 51% respectively for the surgical mask (‘medical method’) and a cloth mask alone.

The study was published in the CDC bone itself, Morbidity and Mortality weekly report, which has not been peer-reviewed by external researchers. Therefore, while the results appear to be final, the research would have been more credible if submitted to an independent journal and / or introductory server as medRxiv.

Among masks

Several studies support the notion that modifications such as sewers / appliances increase the efficiency of filters.

One paper, published in JAMA Internal Medicine and led by biologist Phillip Clapp, he measured the effectiveness of an undeveloped mask and face cover. It showed that surgical mask filtration changes improved from 39% to 80%.

Another recent study (unpublished but internal medRxiv) use salt to report classroom aerosol emissions and equations to estimate the risk of infection for teachers and students. Led by mechanical engineer David Rothamer, the study found that most masks respond poorly and allow more than 50% leakage, but seams can bring mask filtration efficiency back to performance. expected.

Consumers can buy a special mask brace, but they are relatively expensive: for example, Fix the Mask sells two packs of silicone scarves (designed by a former Apple engineer) for $ 30. The company offers downloadable template for making a DIY brace from rubber sheet … if you have such stuff around your house.

But you can brace on a budget, from three rubber bands and a paperclip, as evidenced by doctors led by Daniel Runde Journal of the American College of Open Emergency Physicians. The study concluded that the ‘brace eights double mask’ does not “create the N95 equivalent of filtration” but “provides better protection from airborne viruses when worn with a basic surgical mask. “

Which is better?

In terms of its effectiveness in blocking aerosols, there is much more evidence regarding mask rings. That doesn’t mean double masks won’t work, but the approach requires more research to support the application it helps with fit and filtration.

There are other factors to consider as well as effectiveness, however. Using two masks is quite a waste, for example, although sticking rubber bands around your head is like repairing a basically broken machine instead of a working one. replaced – in this case, a mask that fits correctly in the first place.

Another feature is compliance. Some people refuse to cover the face – if you can’t get those people to follow basic guidelines to wear one mask, good luck forcing them to wear two. Even with the emergence of Covid’s new changes, it can be difficult to convince people to take action: in a 1984 American poll, while 61% support dual-fuel, only 40% do it, despite it being a good idea.

If you tell the public that they need better masks, it could lobby some people to the point where they do not bother to wear anything, which is worse for public health.

As epidemiologist Saskia Popescu says, “Focus on finding one quality mask that meets the mark, as opposed to trying to cover masks and create discomfort, difficulty breathing. .. or frustration that may result from not having a mask at all. “