Your Facemask Needs these 4 things, OR throw it away!

If Your Mask Doesn't Have These 4 Things, Get a New One, Doctor Says HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR MASK IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AGAINST COVID.

It's been nearly a year since facemasks have become a staple of our day-to-day lives in order to stay safe from the coronavirus. But while you may have been satisfied with that cloth mask you bought or made last March, efficient face coverings have become even more important. As recently as new, more transmittable corona virus strains have started spreading in the U.S.—one from the U.K., another from South Africa, and a third from Brazil. As of yesterday, 34 States report having 1 or more of these new strains.

These new strains are estimated to spread at least 50 percent more easily, which is why experts say it's time to reassess your mask. Read on to find out what your mask needs, and "with a more transmissible virus, meaning every exposure has increased likelihood of leading to spread," explain immunologist and microbiologist Andrea Love, PhD, and public health scientist Jessica Steier, DrPH, co-hosts of The Unbiased Science Podcast. "Imagine a mask as a maze for these droplets to make their way through. The more convoluted the maze is, the more droplets you will trap and prevent from escaping to the environment. So, not just any mask will do—quality matters. It's important to understand that cloth masks were intended to be a stopgap measure and any that are routinely worn by people offer little to no protection, depending on the material, number of layers, and fit."

As a result, Love cautions that if your mask doesn't have the following four things, it's not fitting the bill. Keep reading to find out what you should be looking out for, and for more on masks.

1. Tightly woven material with small pores is the physical barrier for respiratory droplets, you want to look for materials that are tightly woven, with small pore sizes or gaps between adjacent fibers. The smaller the pore size, the more effectively droplets will be stopped. While most medical masks have extremely small pore sizes, pay attention to material when choosing a cloth mask. If you want a more protective material, you should look for a high thread count or high fabric density.

2. Three layers are best since the new variants have resulted in doubling up masks, an idea even White House COVID adviser Anthony Fauci, MD, has endorsed. As you'd probably assume, more layers of material means more protection. As a Nov. study evaluated the effectiveness of 11 face masks, they found that masks with three layers offered the most protection. However, if you can't add a filter, wearing two cloth masks with only one or two layers each is better than wearing just one.

3. No gaps are necessary for the mask to do its job, your mask should fit without gaps, meaning it should be fitted around the bridge of your nose and the sides of your face. Leann Poston, MD, a Doctor & Health Advisor for Invigor Medical says; "paying attention to fit is important to ensure that all droplets are filtered through the mask and do not go out around the edges." Recommended cloth masks that have ties that go around the back of the head, as these typically offer a better fit than ear loops. However, if your cloth mask has ear loops that can adjust in size, that can help improve your mask's fit.

4. No valves is the simple answer as, it won't help in the fight against COVID. Why ? Because when you exhale the valves allow air and respiratory droplets to escape out of masks easily. This simply negates any protective ability of the mask.

OK DON'T BELIEVE ME ? --->Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against masks with valves. The hole in the material allows your respiratory droplets to escape and reach others. Protect yourself the right way !

THE MOST FAMOUS DOCTOR OF ALL TIME, DR. SPOCK FROM STAR TREK SAID IT BEST;

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER ! BE WELL.