Keys, wallet, phone, face cover… surgical face mask?
We all are just about trained at this point to leave our homes with one face mask, but what if we told you that recent studies show that double masking offers more protection for wearers against Covid-19? That’s right, 2020, 2021 sees you and raises you a mask. Time to double down on face covers, ladies and gentlemen.
No, this is not because cases are getting worse either. Likewise. Thanks to the vaccine, numbers are going down. However, it’s still going to take time to get 80% of us vaccinated and Covid-19 is still out there. Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials have recently released a new study that found that double masking offers more protection for the wearer against Covid-19.
After multiple lab tests with dummies, those conducting the test concluded that the tighter the mask, the less likely they were to be exposed to the infectious aerosols. Those face coverings included a cloth face mask over a “medical procedure mask,” like a surgical mask, and a surgical mask with knotted ear loops and tucked-in sides. Hence, why it might be time we add an additional face mask to our leaving-the-house must-haves.
The CDC also released new guidance on how to make sure you’re wearing your mask the most
effective way possible. These recommendations being:
- Pick a mask with a nose wire
- Check for gaps
- Choose a mask with layers
If the mask doesn’t have layers, opt for double masking with a disposable mask under a cloth mask. In doing so, the second mask (or exterior mask) should push the edges of the interior mask against your face, creating a multilayer mask effect.
Here at Boomer Naturals, we too have a list of requirements that our masks
must meet:
- Must have nose wire
- No gaps
- Three layers
By purchasing one Boomer Silver-Lined Reusable Face Cover, you’ll get two FREE surgical face masks to wear underneath. Per the CDC, this new standard is in line with the best safety practices. The most recent study determined that the likelihood of infectious aerosols getting through double face-coverings decreased by 95% instead of a singular cloth face cover. Dr. Amesha A. Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, stresses that if the mask or masks are not worn correctly, it is not doing a sufficient enough job to keep you from getting Covid-19. Dr. Amesha supports CDC putting out this guide to make more people aware of how to wear their masks properly. If not worn the way intended, then they simply won’t do the job they were designed to do, and that fault falls on us. Here we at Boomer Naturals, we agree with Dr. Amesha.
Again, we believe the professionals and our industry-leading wellness practitioners agree and encourage proper mask usage. Adalja hopes this guidance makes the consumer more aware when selecting a mask to purchase. While style is always high on our list of priorities, please also keep in mind these new recommendations and up your standards when it comes to buying masks. Just because a face cover is flashy, that doesn’t mean it will keep you safe. As we mentioned earlier, you have to make sure your mask is a good fit for you. Don’t just go out and purchase a piece of material with two loops for your ears because it covers your mouth. We can all agree that because of the initial high demand, face masks/coverings are aplenty. It is up to us, as the consumer, to do our part. You’re going to find that some masks may give you maskne or that they irritate you behind your ears. That’s because not every face cover is equal. We all settled in the beginning because we were all truthfully desperate. While that’s not fun to admit, we lived, and we learned, and we’re here now. We learned in 2020 that support is essential, and we should expect that same support out of our face cover.
Don’t even get the professionals going about double masking by layering two disposable masks… That’s comparable to knowing before going on a date that it’s not going to work and still going anyway, after finding out that they don’t like puppies because, come on, who doesn’t like puppies? If it’s not a good fit, don’t force it. Surgical masks are not designed to fit tightly, and wearing more than one at a time will not improve the fit. Your new checklist before leaving the house:
- Keys
- Wallet
- Phone
- Boomer Silver-Lined Reusable Face Cover
- Surgical mask (Receive two FREE with purchase of Boomer Face Cover)
Have fun but stay safe by following the CDC’s recommendations and double mask.