As the cold winter weather forces most of us indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s health leaders state that it is time to upgrade the cloth face masks.
The country’s chief public health officer stated in a news conference that masks with three layers – two cloth plus a filter – are now recommended over the two-layer face coverings previously suggested.
While the new recommendations caused a stir in the House of Commons, with Conservative leader Erin O’Toole suggesting they are not in line with current provincial advice and may breed confusion, medical experts across Canada agreed that a three-layer mask works better than one with two layers.
The new guidelines do not necessarily mean to throw out current cloth masks and replace them with new ones. The chief public health officer recommends adding a filter to existing masks. Health Canada’s website offers instructions for making three-layered masks at home.
On the website, it states that filters “add an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 by trapping small infectious particles,” and suggest using either a folded paper towel or non-woven propylene materials such as craft fabric which is used to make some reusable shopping bags.
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