Are two masks better than one to protect against COVID? Here’s what experts say

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, it’s not unusual to see people out and about wearing not just one mask, but two.

In October, President-elect Joe Biden was photographed wearing two masks — an N95 under a surgical mask — as he arrived for a town hall at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia ahead of the election.

He’s also doubled up masks on a number of other occasions, USA Today reported.

But does it work? Maybe, experts say.

Dr. Scott Segal, chair of anesthesiology at Wake Forest Baptist Health, said there’s not much scientific data as to the benefits or setbacks of wearing two masks — but pointed out that the practice may be beneficial when it comes to cloth masks, Health reported.

“Wearing two masks might be a reasonable idea if the filtration capability of the masks isn’t very strong,” Segal told the outlet.

Studies on individual masks have found that multiple layers of cloth are better at filtering particles than just one layer, according to Health, and two layers of tighter weave cloth are the best.

“With poorer quality materials, more layers may perform better,” Segal said. Wearing two masks would work much the same way — more layers create a stronger barrier, according to Health.

Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, echoed Segal’s sentiments.

“The goal of using a mask is to create a barrier,” he told Prevention. “If you’re using some kind of flimsy mask, then having a double mask may help.” But he added that “it’s not something that every person needs to do.”

Others agree that wearing two masks isn’t necessary, including Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

“I’m glad there are some people doubly committed to wearing a mask, but it’s not been studied,” he told Prevention. “Double masking may provide some additional protection in both directions — out as well as in — but it’s not officially recommended by anyone at this time.”

Who might benefit from doubling up?

If you have an N95 mask or true surgical mask, doubling up likely won’t do much to increase your protection, as those two types of masks are specifically designed to keep particles out, registered nurse Elizabeth Hanes wrote for WebMD.

However, pairing a neck gaiter with another mask might be an effective combination as neck gaiters are only one layer, Dr. S. Patrick Kachur, a professor at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, told Yahoo.

Others have pointed out that layering cloth masks may be a good option for essential workers.

“A second mask may reduce ‘leakage’ and could be a reasonable thing to do, particularly for public-facing employees such as teachers, grocery cashiers and bus drivers,” Dr. Sten Vermund, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told Yahoo.

Aline Holmes, a clinical associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Nursing, told Prevention it could also be beneficial for people in high-risk settings such as nursing homes or hospitals.

Is it safe?

Wearing two masks is “not going to hurt you” — assuming you can still breathe easily, Adalja told Prevention. Be sure to remove your second mask if you feel any restriction to your ability to breathe.

Dr. Leonard Krilov, chief of Pediatric Infectious Disease at NYU Langone Hospital–Long Island, pointed out that the extra protection may make masks less comfortable, which could be a problem.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Krilov told Health. “An extra barrier may sound like a good idea, but that extra layer may make it more difficult to breathe, making it more likely that you pull on the mask to breathe better and not keep it adequately in place.”

Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center, told Business Insider that comfort is paramount to masks being worn correctly. He sometimes wears a surgical mask under a cloth mask to prevent the inner lining from sticking to his face.

“Does this offer extra protection? It probably depends on how well they fit to begin with,” Morse told the outlet. “The real limit is likely to be comfort. Can you breathe through the combo? Otherwise, you might not fit it closely enough to your face, and then it could be less protection than one good, well-fitting mask.”

A mask that fits well should seal around the mouth and nose so droplets can’t escape through gaps, Business Insider reported.

If you do wear two masks, experts warn to not let your guard down — it doesn’t mean that other safety measures can go by the wayside.

When doubling up, you should still be sure to maintain physical distance from others and wash your hands regularly, Hanes wrote for WebMD. She pointed out that “the best mask is the one you actually wear consistently.” If doubling up makes you pull your mask down below your nose, stick with just one.

This story was originally published January 19, 2021 at 7:34 AM with the headline "Are two masks better than one to protect against COVID? Here’s what experts say."