Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, double masked during a White House coronavirus task force briefing on November 19. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

When Dr. Anthony Fauci heads to work at the White House or the National Institutes of Health, the nation's top infectious-disease expert is often sporting not one but two face masks.

He's said this double-masking strategy helps his masks fit more snugly and comfortably. But double masking hasn't been backed up by any studies or scientific recommendations.

Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing whether two masks are better than one, but they don't have enough evidence to recommend it.

In the meantime, there's one lab-tested solution that can make almost any mask more effective: the mask brace.

The brace also called a mask fitter, it goes on over a single face mask to ensure a snug, secure fit and to close any gaps where contaminated air could rush in or escape. In scientific studies from research universities around the US, it's performed nearly as well as N95s, considered gold-standard medical face masks.

Surgical and cloth masks allow particles to leak out

Mask fitters are designed to help the mask hug the contours of your face.

"These reusable devices help improve the fit of a cloth or a medical mask by creating a tight fit," Dr. John Brooks, the chief medical officer for the CDC's COVID-19 response, recently told reporters during a virtual briefing from the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Unlike double masking, he said, "fitters have been scientifically demonstrated to improve filtration performance by as much as 90% or more, which, again, is getting into that range of filtration efficiency afforded by N95 respirators."

Fitters have been tested by independent scientists at the University of Wisconsin, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Iowa. Each institution found that they improved how well masks worked to keep your germs away from other people and to keep other people's germs away from you.

"Most masks, like surgical-style masks or just a simple knit cloth mask, they're leaking," David Rothamer, a mechanical engineer who coauthored the University of Wisconsin's recent study on mask fitters, told Insider. "Like 70% or 80% of the air is bypassing the mask."

Whichever mask you choose, and whether you decide to double mask or not, pick a solution that you'll actually wear and feel comfortable in — one that keeps both your nose and your mouth inside.

"If we could just get people to wear masks properly, that would be a huge first step," Rothamer said. "You've got to wear the mask, and it has to fit well."

All the experts can agree on that.

"Any mask is better than no mask," Brooks said. "Regardless of what we use, it's critical that as many of us as possible mask up."

Wuxi Dongfeng Yihe Technology Development Co., Ltd.  is an innovative medical technology company. We provide KN95 and other models of masks.

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