BENGALURU: With the state government set to relax the lockdown partially in 19 districts from June 14, the emphasis now is on spreading awareness on the use of double masks.
While there is no scientific evidence which proves two masks are better than one when it comes to protection, doctors say that amidst lack of proper mask use and mask hygiene, double masks indeed offer better protection.
“Common cloth masks are not worn properly most of the time.
We do recommend that people wear two masks to ensure protection from the virus,” say health department authorities.
The state government has not mandated use of double masks yet, although social media handles of the health and family welfare department have been propagating its use.
“Double mask up and win the war against Covid,” the health department’s social media handles proclaimed.
Cloth mask over surgicalDr Sachin Kumar, senior consultant, pulmonology and critical care medicine, Sakra World Hospital, says, when wearing two masks, it should always be a cloth mask over a surgical mask..
“It should not be two surgical masks or two cloth masks.
Also, one should not combine a N95 mask with any other mask.
One should use only one N95 mask at a time.
There is no need to double mask if one is wearing an N-95 mask,” says Dr Kumar.
Dr Kumar adds that two masks can be used judiciously — like while being in a crowded place, visiting hospitals, caring for a Covid patient (at home), and visits to supermarkets.
Dr Ravindra Mehta, chief of pulmonary, critical care and interventional pulmonology, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, said that though there is no scientific evidence or a trial on single mask vs double mask, it is “common sense”.
“Often common sense, non-controversial, easy to implement policies and protocols can be implemented even while data is pending.
These measures are reactionary to the changes of the virus.
When the virus changes to the highly infective form, we increase the layer of protection,” said Dr Mehta.
He said those who can, should wear two.
Better barrierCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, in its recent guidelines on mask use, recommends wearing one disposable mask underneath a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric.
“The second mask should push the edges of the inner mask snugly against the face and beard,” it says.
CDC also advises against combining two disposable masks, as these masks are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve the fit.
Dr Mehta said given the Delta variant is said to be fast spreading, the extra layer of protection can be a better barrier.
However, compliance to the mask rule itself may go for a toss if the double mask use is made a norm as there is already massive fatigue over Covid norms for the past one-and-a-half years, said another doctor from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute.