Report: CDC Considering Whether To Recommend People Wear N95 Masks
BOSTON (CBS) - For the past two years, many people have been wearing cloth masks to protect them from COVID-19. Now, the CDC is reportedly considering whether those masks are enough.
The Washington Post reports the CDC is discussing whether to recommend everyone wear N95 or KN95 masks to better protect against the Omicron variant of COVID. Those are the masks worn by many doctors, nurses and hospital staff who work directly with COVID-19 patients.
The masks are more expensive and were originally designed to be worn only once. Dr. Michael Hirsh, from UMass Memorial Health Care, said he thinks they can be safely reused.
"The CDC is currently recommending trying to limit this use to maybe one a week or something like that. I think they can be reused," Hirsh told WBZ-TV.
Hirsh wears a 3-ply mask over the N95 mask to protect it from anything that may stain it.
"They really do last a while," Hirsh said of the N95 masks.
Hirsh said if you can't find N95 or KN95 masks, you should consider wearing two 3-ply surgical masks.