More than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, there’s still a good deal of confusion over what type of face covering is best and how to effectively wear one. Although medical-style masks are more readily available now than they were early on, and may provide superior filtration in comparison with cloth masks, issues related to fit, comfort, counterfeits, and cost mean that cloth masks remain a go-to tool for slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Any mask is better than no mask, and—as a new standard approved by ASTM International makes clear—some options are better than others. And as research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests, doubling up a surgical mask with a well-fitting cloth one—or securing the fit of the former, as shown in this video, assuming the surgical mask isn’t fake—may be the best way to minimize your exposure to the virus (and other small airborne particles, like allergens).
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