NYT says wearing two masks is better than one
In a world that’s barely seen a let-up in coronavirus cases, The New York Times suggests that it might be better to start wearing two masks instead of just one. The extra layers offer protection that some “thin or flimsy” masks don’t, the Times says.
Of course, those extra layers also present a challenge of making it too hard to breathe. “The point is not to make a mask airtight,” the news agency explains. Rather, the purpose is to create a sort-of obstacle course through which infectious droplets must travel; multiple layers lay out that course.
To wear the double layers correctly, put on a surgical mask first, and then a tighter-fitting cloth mask. Just be careful, though, the Times warns: “Wearing more than two masks, or layering up on masks that are already very good at filtering, will quickly bring diminishing returns and make it much harder to breathe normally.”