Dr. Fauci: Double-Masking Makes 'Common Sense' and Is Likely More Effective

White House adviser Anthony Fauci recently told NBC's TODAY program that double masking wearing two face masks at once during the COVID pandemic likely provides an extra layer of protection, reports CNBC News . "If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective," he stated. "That's the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet recommended double masking, but the practice generated interest when people were noted wearing two masks at President Biden's inauguration. Researchers said donning a surgical mask underneath a cloth mask maximizes protection, because the surgical covering is a filter and the cloth adds another layer and helps with fit. In situations where it is problematic to maintain social distance, double masking would increase protection. The next best option would be a three-layer covering with an inner filter. Studies also indicated that multilayer cloth masks can block up to 50 percent to 70 percent of fine droplets and particles and limit the spread of coronavirus, while the CDC recommends that people wear masks with two layers of tightly woven cotton fabric at minimum.