The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released information about double masking would further protect and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf agrees with the recommendation but if you decide to wear a double mask, Wolf urges people to wear a disposable mask under a cloth mask. She cautions people wearing two disposable masks.

“They’re not designed to fit tightly and wearing another one is not going to improve your fit. And then do not combine a KN-95 mask with any other mask, only wear that KN-95 mask.” 

Wolf says the more important part about a mask is properly wearing one.

“All along the effectiveness of wearing a mask has to do with how it fits on your face, and how constant you are at wearing it, and making sure that your nose and mouth are covered. So you have to be constant and wearing it correctly, that’s a critical step.”  

Wolf reminds everyone to regularly wash masks, make sure it fits snuggly on your face, without having any gaps to allow droplets to penetrate through; and your mask should have multiple layers of cloth to further protect yourself and others from spreading the virus.