{"id":14503,"date":"2020-07-30T11:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T15:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=14503"},"modified":"2020-08-04T11:55:45","modified_gmt":"2020-08-04T15:55:45","slug":"face-masks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/face-masks\/","title":{"rendered":"Face masks 101: What you need to know about covering up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wearing a face mask is one of the most important precautions you can take to prevent the transmission of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Other important steps to take? Public health officials recommend handwashing, social distancing by at least 6 feet, not touching your face, and cleaning and disinfecting your surroundings. By practicing all these safety measures, you can not only keep yourself and your family healthy\u2014but also your community at large.<\/span><\/p>\n

But just because you know you <\/span>should<\/span><\/i> mask up doesn\u2019t mean you know <\/span>how<\/span><\/i>. Here, we speak with infectious disease experts about what materials are best for reusable face masks, how to wear them correctly, and when and how to clean your masks properly.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do face masks prevent the spread of coronavirus?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cloth or surgical masks help prevent the transmission of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 through airborne droplets released during sneezing, coughing, or even talking, especially in poorly ventilated, small spaces. (Wearing a mask can also protect you from the common cold or flu, <\/span>which a 2018 study determined could also be airborne<\/span><\/a>.) Additionally, <\/span>wearing a mask could mean you won\u2019t get as sick if you do contract the coronavirus.<\/span><\/a> You should wear a mask around anyone you don\u2019t live with.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe main purpose of cloth face coverings is to decrease the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] from infected people who may be infectious but do not have clinical symptoms of the virus or who may have early or mild symptoms that they do not recognize,\u201d says <\/span>Ravina Kullar<\/span><\/a>, Pharm.D., MPH, a fellow and spokesperson of the <\/span>Infectious Diseases Society of America<\/span><\/a>. \u201cHowever, the CDC also states that face coverings can also offer some protection against getting exposed again to the coronavirus. We still do not know if a person can get reinfected again yet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The latest study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 40% of coronavirus infections in the United States are <\/span>asymptomatic<\/span><\/a>. You can also be pre-symptomatic, or, if there\u2019s been a significant amount of time since getting tested and receiving a negative test, you could have contracted the virus in that time frame.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best face masks for coronavirus protection<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are plenty of reusable masks to choose from, from colorful cloth masks online to fashionable ones from your favorite designer. The best face mask has multiple layers of fabric (cotton masks are best) and fits well over the wearer\u2019s nose, mouth, and chin. Some masks come with pockets for disposable filters. You can also buy single-use masks in bulk online or at grocery or drug stores.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Types of face masks<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Materials<\/span><\/td>\nMaterials<\/span><\/td>\nEfficacy<\/span><\/td>\nBest for<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
N95 mask<\/span><\/td>\nSynthetic plastic fibers<\/span><\/td>\nBlocks 95% of small particles<\/span><\/td>\nHealthcare workers<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Face shields<\/span><\/td>\nPlastic or cloth<\/span><\/td>\nReduces immediate viral exposure by <\/span>96%<\/span><\/a> within 18\u201d of a cough<\/span><\/td>\nHealthcare workers in addition to a face mask; people with breathing problems who cannot wear a mask<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Reusable masks<\/span><\/td>\nCloth<\/span><\/td>\nBlocks droplets at 2.5\u201d; must be washed between each use<\/span><\/td>\nGeneral public<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Single-use masks<\/span><\/td>\nPaper or other non-woven material<\/span><\/td>\nBlocks droplets at 8\u201d; must be discarded after each use<\/span><\/td>\nGeneral public<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A recent study<\/span><\/a> used a smoke machine and a manikin to emulate a human cough to visually measure how far the droplets would travel.<\/span><\/p>\n

The droplets traveled more than 8 feet without a mask. The clear winner was a <\/span>cloth mask<\/b> made of two layers of quilting cotton, which stopped the droplets at around 2.5 inches. A <\/span>disposable mask<\/b> (in this case, a CVS Cone Face Mask made of various fibers) kept the droplets from traveling farther than 8 inches.\u00a0 Finally, the folded <\/span>handkerchief<\/b> and <\/span>bandana<\/b> were better than nothing, but not by much.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly, uncovered emulated coughs were able to travel notably farther than the currently recommended 6-foot distancing guideline,\u201d the study concludes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Best<\/p>\n

Another study<\/span><\/a> evaluated the protection of <\/span>face shields<\/b> versus face masks. Although the face shields intercepted some droplets traveling toward the face, other droplets were still able to travel around the shield.<\/span><\/p>\n

N95 respirators<\/b> and similar medical-grade masks should only be used by frontline medical professionals, who are still in dire need of personal protective equipment (PPE).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cN95s have to be fitted to work correctly, and you cannot wear them for a prolonged period of time, so this isn\u2019t something that we recommend, people just wearing when they\u2019re out in the community,\u201d says infectious disease expert <\/span>Amesh Adalja<\/span><\/a>, MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security. \u201cWe also want to make sure that we have enough N95s for healthcare workers\u2014so you might be able to find them for sale, but it\u2019s not something that we recommend people buy.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking extra precautions is admirable, but the general public doesn\u2019t need a medical face mask to hit the grocery store; a cotton face mask is fine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who should wear face coverings?<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to the <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a>, everyone should wear a face covering in public settings. There are a few groups excluded from this recommendation:<\/span><\/p>\n