CDC updates guidance on the best masks to protect against COVID-19
CBSN
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its mask guidance to note that N95 and KN95 masks offer higher levels of protection against COVID-19 than cloth masks, although it stopped short of recommending that everyone wear them. The change comes as the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant continues to cause record-breaking numbers of infections, straining the ability of hospitals to treat the influx of patients. Where to find N95 masks
"Well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) offer the highest level of protection," the CDC's website now says, referring to products evaluated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
The CDC says loosely woven cloth masks provide the least protection, while those with layers, well-fitting disposable surgical masks or KN95 masks offer progressively more.
