CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The mask debate is heating up again thanks to the rapid spread of the delta COVID-19 variant. Now, some doctors want to push things even further, saying your old cloth masks might not cut it.
Let's connect the dots.
Any way you look at it, the delta variant is more contagious than the initial strain of COVID-19. Evidence shows delta can travel from person to person in just seconds, and with limited contact.
Researchers found people infected with delta have a 1,000 times higher viral load than people infected with the original COVID-19 strain. That has some doctors sounding the alarm, saying it's time to mask up again.
And they don't want just any masks. Scott Gottlieb, the former head of the FDA, says we need to be talking about high-quality masks like N95 respirators.
Those are medical grade and they filter out more particles than cloth masks. Plus, they fit tighter to your face than surgical masks. But there's an age limit on the N95 advice. They're not approved for children, and they can be uncomfortable, which means kids could struggle to wear them for long periods of time.
Experts say it's better to find a mask that kinds can wear comfortably, and of course, the best protection is getting the vaccine.
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