LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While the idea of masking up during the coronavirus pandemic certainly isn't new--we've been required to in public places in Kentucky and Indiana since the summer of 2020--a new trend of "double masking" is starting to surface as new COVID-19 variants pop up that appear to be more transmissible.
Double masking is exactly what it sounds like: wearing two masks at the same time in order to increase protection.
Officially speaking, the jury is still out on the efficacy of this. Health experts are still studying the new COVID-19 strains, and working to learn what exactly makes them spread more easily.
However, ABC News spoke with four experts on this subject. They all more or less agreed that double masking could offer some additional protection.
Dr. Linsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech who studies viruses in the air, said in some circumstances an extra mask could increase coverage by 25%.
“With every layer that we add to a mask, it’s like adding an obstacle course that the particles have to get through," Dr. Marr said. "If you have a layer that's maybe 50% effective at blocking particles, like it blocks half of them, If you layer two of those on top of each other, now you block 75% of them."
However, experts also emphasize that there is a lot we don't know and multiple factors to consider when deciding whether to double mask.
“I don’t believe double masking has been carefully studied,” said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “And actually my emphasis is on getting people to wear a single mask and to wear it appropriately, over the nose."
Dr. Schaffner said it's possible that the second mask could add an extra layer of protection.
"If you’re really into safety, yes, I’d consider that,” he added.
ABC chief medical correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton suggested one more thing to consider when deciding whether or not two masks is the right option for you at this point: breathability.
"Certainly blocking those viral particles from getting out may offer better protection for the person wearing them," Dr. Ashton said. "But again, you have to balance that with being able to actually breathe. But there is no evidence at this time that we need to change our masks specifically for these variants, even though some of them definitely look like they're more readily transmissible."
Contact reporter Rob Harris at rjharris@whas11.com. Follow him on Twitter (@robharristv) and Facebook.
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