Coronavirus: Should you wear two masks at once?

Wearing two masks, or “double masking,” is likely more effective than just wearing one mask at a time, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House adviser.

Amid concerns of more contagious variants of the virus spreading and becoming the dominant strain, some people have begun wearing two masks to try to keep coronavirus from spreading.

“If you have a physical covering with one layer and you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective,” Fauci said during an interview with the Today Show this week. “That’s the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95.”

At this time the Centers for Disease and Control have not issued any recommendations about double masking, CNBC reported, but public officials wearing a disposable mask under a cloth mask caught the eye of some people during President Joe Biden’s inauguration earlier this month.

Fauci also noted during his interview, that while cases appear to have plateaued in the U.S., it’s still important to follow health guidelines, especially with researchers discovering more contagious strains.

The UK variant has been detected in more than 20 states and some studies indicate that antibody treatments aren’t as effective against the South African variant, he said.

However, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are still considered to be effective against the strains, Fauci said. Scientists are working to prepare possible vaccine upgrades if needed.

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