CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) Researchers at the University of North Carolina say their studies agree, wearing two masks is better than one. The data that we re sharing at this point shows that there is a benefit of double masking, UNC School of Medicine researcher Dr. Phillip Clapp said. Clapp is an aerosol toxicology expert in the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology.
According to experiments completed at UNC, wearing a cloth mask over the paper surgical masks increases their effectiveness by 40%. When you wear a surgical mask or a cloth mask on its own, they re about 40 percent effective to keep you safe. But the most important factor-whether you double mask or not-is fit.