MASK UP

CDC Strongly Considering Recommending Better Masks in ‘Light of Omicron’: WaPo

The agency is “actively looking” to formally recommend people seek out KN95 and N95 masks, according to an official.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “actively looking” to update its mask recommendations to people, formally advising them to seek out the N95 or KN95 masks worn by medical personnel, an unnamed official with knowledge of the discussions told The Washington Post. “The agency is currently actively looking to update its recommendations for KN95 and N95 in light of Omicron,” the official told the Post. “We know these masks provide better filtration.” N95 masks in particular are designed to filter up to 95 percent of particles, according to the CDC. The agency’s current guidance says that more highly protective masks should be prioritized for medical professionals, but as one infectious disease official told the Post, “That note of trying to save N95s for health-care workers is just grossly out of date.” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky declined last year to update the guidance over high-quality masks, saying in December that N95s and KN95s were “often not as comfortable” as typical fabric masks.