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Fitted Filtration Efficiency of Double Masking During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Citation:
Samet, J., H. Chen, E. Sickbert-Bennett, K. Zeman, S. Prince, H. Tong, P. Clapp, AND W. Bennett. Fitted Filtration Efficiency of Double Masking During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Internal Medicine. American Medical Association, Chicago, IL, 181(8):1126-1128, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.2033
Impact/Purpose:
Recently, U.S. public health officials have also encouraged doubling masks as a strategy to counter elevated transmission risk related to more infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants. To investigate the efficacy of double masking in preventing exposure to airborne aerosols, this study compared the fitted filtration efficiency of commonly available masks worn singly, doubled or in combinations.
Description:
This is a brief research letter reporting findings of testing of masks singly and in combination. The data show that while two masks are generally better than one, maximal benefit is derived from wearing a surgical mask under a cloth mask. Although global vaccination efforts against SARS-CoV-2 are underway, the public is urged to continue using face masks as a primary intervention to control transmission.1 Recently, US public health officials have also encouraged doubling masks as a strategy to counter elevated transmission associated with infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants.2 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigators reported that doubling masks increased effectiveness, but their assessment was limited in type and combinations of masks tested, as well as by the use of head forms rather than humans. To address these limitations, this study compared the fitted filtration efficiency (FFE)3,4 of commonly available masks worn singly, doubled, or in combinations.
