The 'Double Mask' Trend in the US... Pouch Says "More Efficient Is Common Sense"

People Wearing Multiple Masks Spotted at Biden Inauguration Ceremony

Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the top infectious disease expert in the United States. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] In the United States, more people are wearing cloth masks over surgical masks.

On the 25th (local time), NBC reported that at U.S. President Joe Biden's inauguration, some people wore layered masks, and even Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expressed the view that "it seems more effective."

On that day, Dr. Fauci said in an interview with NBC News that wearing layered masks is 'common sense,' stating, "physically placing one layer over another is logically more effective." Therefore, people wear double masks or masks at the N95 level.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet recommended wearing layered masks, but last week, when people were seen wearing two masks at President Biden's inauguration, this practice became a hot topic. Especially, the 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman, who recited a poem at the inauguration, and Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, gained popularity on social media for wearing layered masks.

Poet Amanda Gorman wearing layered masks. Photo by Amanda Gorman Twitter capture.

Experts said, "Wearing a surgical mask under a cloth mask provides maximum protection."

They explained, "The surgical mask acts as a filter, and the cloth adds an additional layer, making the mask fit snugly on the face," adding, "Research shows that wearing cloth and surgical masks together blocks 50-70% of fine droplets and particles."

The CDC recommends wearing masks made of at least two layers of tightly woven cotton fabric. However, while N95 masks block 95% of airborne particles, they are reserved for healthcare workers and emergency medical responders in the U.S., so they are not recommended for the general public.

Meanwhile, the nonprofit organization Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reported in a December survey that over 70% of Americans wore masks.