Why you should upgrade your mask as the Omicron variant ...

Cloth masks -- encouraged earlier in the pandemic -- can filter large droplets, while more effective masks, such as N95s, can filter both large ... WhyyoushouldupgradeyourmaskastheOmicronvariantspreadsByKristenRogers,CNNUpdated1628GMT(0028HKT)December24,2021JUSTWATCHEDWhyexpertsrecommendaN95masktostopCovidspreadReplayMoreVideos...MUSTWATCH(16Videos)WhyexpertsrecommendaN95masktostopCovidspreadKyrieIrvingexplainswhyhe'respected'team'sdecisiontobenchhimWomanisolatesinplanebathroomaftertestingpositiveforCovid-19Source:FDAexpectedtoapprovePfizerboostersfor12to15-year-oldsDr.FauciexplainswhyCDCchangedCovid-19isolationguidelinesOmicronderailsholidayplans,strainshospitalsDoctorexplainshowtotellthedifferencebetweenCovid-19andacoldFaucisaysofficialsareconsideringshorterisolationperiodsCruiseshipsfaceOmicronoutbreaksatseaDoctordescribesgettingdeaththreatsfromfamiliesofCovidpatients'Ihopehekeepsitup':HearFauci'spraiseforTrump'Help':Cleveland-areahospitalsputadinlocalnewspaperEconomistpredictshowOmicronwillimpacttheeconomy'Oneofthefewthingweagreeon':BidenoffersrarepraiseofTrumpWomanraisingniecesandnephewsorphanedbyCovid'Absolutelyno':BidensaysUSisnotregressingbacktoMarch2020(CNN)AsthehighlycontagiousOmicroncoronavirusvariantcontinuestospread,someexpertssayit'spasttimetoreconsideryourfacemaskoptions--especiallyifyou'restillwearingtheclothvariety."Clothmasksarelittlemorethanfacialdecorations.There'snoplacefortheminlightofOmicron,"saidCNNMedicalAnalystDr.LeanaWen,anemergencyphysicianandvisitingprofessorofhealthpolicyandmanagementattheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityMilkenInstituteSchoolofPublicHealth,onCNNNewsroomTuesday."Thisiswhatscientistsandpublichealthofficialshavebeensayingformonths,manymonths,infact,"Wenaddedinaseparatephoneinterview.OmicronisnowthedominantstrainofcoronavirusintheUS,accordingtotheCDC"Weneedtobewearingatleastathree-plysurgicalmask,"shesaid,whichisalsoknownasadisposablemaskandcanbefoundatmostdrugstoresandsomegroceryandretailstores."Youcanwearaclothmaskontopofthat,butdonotjustwearaclothmaskalone."Ideally,incrowdedplaces,"youshouldbewearingaKN95orN95mask,"whichcanbeasinexpensiveasafewdollarseach,Wenadded.Byhavingabetterfitandcertainmaterials--suchaspolypropylenefibers--actingasbothmechanicalandelectrostaticbarriers,thesemasksbetterpreventtinyparticlesfromgettingintoyournoseormouthandmustbefittedtoyourfacetofunctionproperly.ReadMoreChangingguidanceDuringthefirstseveralmonthsofthepandemic,healthexpertsdiscouragedthegeneralpublicfrombuyingN95masks,sincemedicalprofessionalswerefacingashortageofpersonalprotectionequipment.Butithas"beenmanymonthssincesupplyofN95s(hasbeen)anissue,"Wensaid.YettheUSCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention'smostrecentguidanceonselecting,properlywearing,cleaningandstoringfacemasksrecommendedpeopleavoidN95masksandinsteadchoosemaskswithtwoormorelayersofwashable,breathablefabric--whichWencalled"amajormistake.""Ifwe'regoingtogoasfarastosaythatmasksarerequired--whenwedon'tcomefromamask-wearingcultureandpeopledon'tlikewearingmasks--atleastrecommendthattheywearthemosteffectivemask,"Wensaid.Isittimetocancelyourholidayplans?AnexpertweighsinOthercountries,includingGermanyandAustria,have"switchedtheirstandardtosaythatafacecoveringinpublicmustbeatleastamedical-gradesurgicalmask"incertainsettings,sheadded.CNNreachedouttotheCDCaboutitsrecommendationsregardingN95sandclothmasksandisstillawaitingcomment.AnotherfactordrivingchangeinmaskrecommendationsisabetterunderstandingofCovid-19andhowitspreads,saidErinBromage,anassociateprofessorofbiologyattheUniversityofMassachusettsDartmouth."It'stakenlongerforpeopletoappreciatethenatureofairborneinfection--thatthisisn'tnecessarilyahybridinfection,saywithinfluenza,whereitcanbothbespreadbydroplets,inhaledalittlebit,onsurfacesandinfectthatway,"hesaid."Itappears...theprimarydriverof(coronavirus)infectionissharedair."Clothmasks--encouragedearlierinthepandemic--canfilterlargedroplets,whilemoreeffectivemasks,suchasN95s,canfilterbothlargedropletsandthesmalleraerosolsorparticlespotentiallyladenwithairbornevirusifinfectedpeoplearepresent,Bromagesaid.Aclothfacecoveringalsohas75%inwardandoutwardleakage,whichtheAmericanConferenceofGovernmentalIndustrialHygienistsdefinesasthe"percentageofparticlesenteringthefacepiece"andthe"percentageofparticlesexhaledbyasourceexitingthefacepiece,"respectively.ProperlyfittedN95respiratorsthatareapprovedbytheUSNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafety&Healthcanfilterupto95%ofparticlesintheair,accordingtotheCDC.Surgicalordisposablemasksarearound5%to10%lesseffectivethanN95respirators,Bromagesaid,dependingontheirASTMInternationalcategorization--withtypes1,2and3rankingjustsurgicalmasksfromleasttomosteffective.Whytheworldisstillarguingoverfacemasks,20monthsintothepandemicWhytheOmicronvarianthasbeensosuccessfulatquicklyinfectingmanypeopleis"unknownatthemoment,"butitonlyunderscorestherolequalitymaskscanplay,Bromagesaid."Ifitislessvirusneeded,orifitisapersonwho'sinfectedisputtingmorevirusout,thentheroleofamaskinthisisifwecancutdowntheamountthatyou'reactuallybreathingin,yougetmoretime,"headded."Ifyouneeded1,000viralparticlestoinfectyouandyou'rewearingsomethingthatcuts50%ofthingsdown,it'snowgoingtotaketwiceaslongtogettothat1,000.Ifyou'rewearingonethatisa90%efficient,it'sgoingtotakeatleast10timesaslongbeforeyougetinfectedwhenyou'rearoundsomebody(whoisinfected).""Weneedtobepromotingbetterhigh-qualitymaskseverywhere,becauserightnowasingle-layerclothmaskjustisn'tcuttingitagainstOmicron,"saidformerUSSurgeonGeneralDr.JeromeAdamsThursdayonCNN'sAC360."Weneedmoretesting.Weneedbettermasking.That'showwegetthroughthis."SwappingoutyourclothmasksTheNationalInstituteforOccupationalHealth&SafetyhasalistofapprovedN95respirators,whichcanbefoundatsomehomeimprovementstores,retailersanddrugstores.Thesemasksshouldhaveacup,flatfoldorduckbillshape;twostrapsthatgoaroundyourhead;anadjustablewirenosebridge;andappropriatemarkingsindicatingNIOSHapproval,theCDCsays.TheagencyalsohasresourcesfordeterminingwhetheranN95respiratoriscounterfeit,andforproperlyputtingiton,takingitoffandperformingarespiratorsealcheck.ThedifferencebetweenN95andKN95respiratorsiswherethemaskiscertified,accordingtoOklahoma'sstatehealthdepartment.TheUScertifiesN95s,whileChinaapprovesKN95s.About60%ofKN95respiratorsintheUSarecounterfeitanddon'tmeetNIOSHrequirements,theCDCsays.TheCDChasalistofsignsaKN95respiratorhasn'tbeenapprovedbyNIOSH."Ifthey'remadetothestandardandcertifiedbytheappropriateboardsintheircountrylikeNIOSHhere,theyalldobasicallythesamething,"Bromagesaid."ButthereisatonofknockoffsthatarenotcertifiedintheKN95sideofthings,thatmaymeetthestandardsbutthey'renotcertifiedtomeetit.Andthere'sothersthatclearlydon't."Theseexperts'recommendationtowearbettermasksisn'tasuggestiontotrashyourclothmasksorgo"maskless"whenyoudon'thaveamedical-grademaskavailable.GetCNNHealth'sweeklynewsletterSignupheretogetTheResultsAreInwithDr.SanjayGuptaeveryTuesdayfromtheCNNHealthteam.Instudiesofvariousfacemasks,clothmaskswithmultiplelayersandhigherthreadcounts"havedemonstratedsuperiorperformancecomparedtosinglelayersofclothwithlowerthreadcounts,"butarestilllesseffectivethanmedical-grademasks,accordingtotheCDC.Wearingaclothmaskoveramedicalproceduremask,asWensuggested,canbetterprotectyouandothersbyimprovingfitandthereforefiltrationcapacity,theCDCsays."Ifallyouhaveisaclothmask,it'sstillbetterthannothing,"Wensaid."Butyouarenotwell-protected,andyoushouldknowthatyou'renotwell-protected.Andsoifyou'regoingtoacrowdedindoorsettingandallyouhaveisaclothmask,don'tgo."Ifyou'reunabletobuymedical-grademasksforwhateverreason,gotolocationsthatarerequiringmasksandprovidingthemforfree--suchassometrainstations,grocerystoresorbusinesses--andaskforasurgicalmask,Wensuggested.