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New Covid strain: Double-masking offers protection, say UAE doctors

Dubai - Making the seals tighter to prevent air leakage can reduce people’s exposure by more than 95%.

Wearing properly-fitted surgical masks or doubling up on masks, can significantly reduce Covid-19 transmission and slow the spread of new, more contagious strains, according to the UAE doctors.

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The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) report underscore the finding that a good fit can increase overall mask efficiency, they added. “This CDC study compared wearing no mask, a poorly fitted surgical mask, cloth-only mask and double-masking in a simulation of respiratory droplets between two people – a source and a receiver. The study found when people wear a well-fitted surgical mask covered by a cloth mask they can increase their own protection from aerosol droplets by 95 per cent or more,” said Dr Shipra Rai specialist internal medicine, Prime Medical Centre – Al Qasimia.

Dr Zeeshan Anwar, general practitioner, Aster Rafa Poly Clinic – International City, added: “One has to start with a surgical mask and put a cloth mask on top of it. It gives an excellent filtration blocking respiratory droplets and reducing exposure, especially when we have new Covid mutations around the globe.”

Protecting the nose from any pathogen entry is of paramount importance in preventing the disease. “Double masking will give us additional protection as Covid-19 the common portal of entry is through the nose. So, the face mask should be kept above the nose. Many times, we see people covering the mouth only, not the nose then there is no point in wearing the mask if the nose remains uncovered”, said Dr Sunil Vyas, specialist pulmonology, Aster Hospital – Al Qusais.

However, the study has limitations, say medics. The findings are not generalisable to men with beards and facial hair, which can interfere with masks or to children, whose faces are smaller. The study did not compare two surgical masks or two cloth masks.“Don’t combine two disposable masks because disposable masks are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve fit. Also don’t layer another mask on top of N95 or KN95, these should be used alone,” said Dr Anil Grover specialist internal medicine, Prime Hospital.

Most masks not medical grade

Most disposable masks in the consumer market are not medical grade, but they are still made of polypropylene, a nonwoven fabric that electrostatically repulses viral particles.

This means they still score high marks when it comes to blocking the virus, say medics. The problem is loose-fitting masks may leave gaps where viral particles can get in and out when worn alone.

“Whether wearing two masks would offer better protection or reduce the transmission of Covid-19 depends on the type of the face mask. There are different types of face masks available of which, N95 is known to be the best and offers maximum protection. The N95 mask blocks 95 per cent of the particles. So if a person is wearing an N95 mask, then there is no need for an additional one,” said Dr Alaa Zedan, specialist internal medicine, Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery – Dubai.

nandini@khaleejtimes.com