When to wear two face masks? Recommendations from a Face Mask Manufacturer company in Mohali!

There are several questions revolving around masks since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The most important one is about the need to combine two masks. Wearing multiple layers and a snug fit will make sure that your mask is very effective at protecting you and others.

Wearing a face mask has become a new norm in India and with multiple new strains of coronavirus circulating in India, it is the perfect time to look at the efficacy of the masks provided by Face Mask Manufacturer in Punjab.

The world saw PPE shortages in the earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic and many people used alternatives liking cotton cloths, bandanas, etc. But as the number of Face Mask Manufacturer and supplier in Punjab has increased, now there are plenty of face mask options available out there which are both effective and affordable.

According to Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University School of Public Health wearing a face mask is not something to wait on and people must wear higher quality masks as often as possible.
In a recent study conducted at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, 11 face coverings which included one face shield, one surgical mask, nine different materials for cloth face masks were studied. The factors evaluated were the efficiency of the masks filtered particles, no. of droplets they prevented from spreading and how many no. of droplets they kept the wearer from catching.
It was recommended that people wear must wear a “three-layer mask consisting of two outer layers of a very flexible, tightly woven fabric and an inner layer consisting of a material designed to filter out particles,” like a “high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter.” Moreover, these masks should be tightly fitted and there must be no gaps between the fabric and the face. Under all these conditions the overall efficacy can cross 90%.
According to a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Dr. Chris Beyrer layering-up is helpful as it filters out smaller aerosols.

Now the question of the hour is should you be wearing two masks to make them more effective?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in NBC News report explained a cloth mask over a surgical mask may give high levels of protection against the virus that causes COVID-19.

• Better fit
  The Face Mask Manufacturer and supplier in Punjab explained that you get a better fit when you put a surgical mask on with a cloth mask over it.
• Increased filtration
  Adding the extra layer of protection can enhance the filtering quality of the masks. This happens because the double layers provide a barricade for the virus-containing respiratory droplets.

How to double your mask?
Here are some tips to wear the two-layered masks efficiently for maximum protection:

Avoid these mask combinations: Some mask combinations make it hard to breathe and are illogical like:

• two surgical masks
• an N95 and any other type of mask
• a KN95 and any other type of mask

Test at home first: Wear your double mask at home before stepping out. Check for:

Fit:
Always take care that your outer mask helps press your inner mask tightly to the face making a tight seal. Cup your hands over the layers of masks and check if there is air escaping from the edges.

Breathing:
It will require some extra effort if you are double masking but it shouldn’t make breathing very tough.

Vision:
It must not block your vision.

Evaluate the scenario:
Wear a single mask only if you are able to maintain the 6-feet distance.

Face Mask Manufacturer and supplier in Punjab suggests that a double mask is beneficial when you’re:

• going shopping
• visiting the doctor
• travelling in public transportation
• in a job where maintaining physical distancing is hard

How effective is double masking?
The Face Mask Manufacturer Company in Mohali has based their recommendation on a CDC Study. The study analyzed two ways in which mask fit can be improved.
During this study coughing and breathing were simulated using artificially produced aerosols particles.

Coughing simulation
In this process, researchers estimated the efficacy of a cloth mask alone, a surgical mask alone and a cloth mask covering a surgical mask (double mask).
Researchers established that when a cough was simulated; the double mask obstructed 85.4% of these particles compared to 51.4% and 56.1% obstruction by the cloth and surgical mask, respectively.

Breathing simulation
In the breathing simulation, two models of a human head were studied. One of them generated aerosol particles called the source while the other were recipients, people who were exposed to them.

Following results were found out:

• When the source wore a double mask and the recipient did not, the aerosol exposure was reduced by 82.2% for the unmasked recipient.
• When the recipient wore a double mask and the source did not, the aerosol exposure reduced by 83% of the double-masked recipient.
• When both the recipient the source wore a double mask, the aerosol exposure was reduced by96.4%.

What are some other ways to improve the mask’s effectiveness?

Choose a mask with a nose wire
Having a mask with a nose wire will give you a better fit. Moreover, it will prevent your glasses from fogging up.
Try the knot and tuck method
Face Mask Manufacturer in Punjab also suggest you to use the knot and tuck method as recommended by the CDC. This involves knotting the ear loops near to where they join to your mask and then tucking away the extra material, if left, with precaution.

In conclusion, a face mask is doubled when you wear one over the top of another and it helps to improve the fit and filtration.
If you want the Face Mask Manufacturer Company in Mohali strictly says to combine a surgical mask and a cloth mask.