New Cases: 313,099 (⬆︎ .28%)
New Deaths: 6,361 (⬆︎ .26%)
USA
New Cases: 57,225 (⬆︎ .20%)
New Deaths: 1,247 (⬆︎ .24%)
Vaccination Scorecard
Total Vaccinations: 43.6 million
Total Priority Population: 35.8%
Total Population: 13.1%
The 7-Day Rolling Averages for both Cases and Deaths continue to trend downward. It's been 2 weeks since the Super Bowl, and we haven't yet seen a surge, so I guess it's just possible we learned enough not to go out and be stoopid.
When we keep the daily numbers low - by following the simple protocols - we beat the monster back.
A month ago, the averages were high and my simple projection was had us hitting 600,000 dead by Spring. Now that's been pushed back to late April.
When we do good things, better things follow.
Speaking of protocols...
FAQ: Single or double? The latest advice on masks and covid.
At this stage in the pandemic, amid a surge in infections and the emergence of new, more transmissible variants of the novel coronavirus, masks aren’t just a fact of life. They’re a critical tool in slowing the spread of the virus until enough of the population can be vaccinated.
Below we’ve compiled answers to some of the most commonly asked questions surrounding masks and how to navigate pandemic life in them. These recommendations are drawn from previously published Washington Post articles and new interviews with medical professionals and public health experts who have been on the front lines of this pandemic.
[Covid-19 etiquette: A comprehensive guide]
Please keep in mind that as the coronavirus continues to be studied and understood, masking advice may change, and we will update this FAQ accordingly.
Should I be double-masking?
In recent months, a growing number of public figures including football coaches and politicians have been spotted wearing two masks — usually a cloth covering over a medical-grade mask. “If you have a physical covering with one layer, you put another layer on, it just makes common sense that it likely would be more effective,” said Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, during a January appearance on the “Today” show.
A February report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that double-masking by wearing a multiple-layer cloth mask over a surgical mask is one way to substantially increase fit and protection. The federal health agency also reported that knotting the ear loops of a single surgical mask and tucking in the sides close to the face had a similar effect.
Federal health officials emphasize proper mask fit to protect against coronavirus variants, urging double masks in some cases
Not everyone, however, needs to start wearing two masks all the time, says Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine and an infectious-disease expert at the University of California at San Francisco. Gandhi, who recently co-authored a commentary on the science behind mask-wearing, suggests doubling up on face coverings if you are spending time indoors in crowded spaces or in areas where transmission rates are high. People who are medically vulnerable should also consider layering their masks, she says.
“We do actually have to tailor our recommendations,” Gandhi says. Otherwise, “it will just cut down on acceptability.”
How do I effectively wear a single or double mask?
Fit is key, experts say. For a mask to do its job, it should fit closely to your face, shielding your nose and mouth completely. A number of widely available cloth masks now feature adjustable nose wires and ear loops to help you achieve a better fit.
“If the mask is not fitted well and there are large gaps around your nose or to the side of your cheeks or under your chin, then you’ve defeated the purpose,” says Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group.
When, why and how to wear a mask during this pandemic, according to the experts
The purpose of wearing two masks is to improve fit and filtration, Gandhi says. And if the masks are layered properly, they can closely simulate the effectiveness of an N95 respirator, which many experts consider to be the gold standard. In the January commentary, Gandhi and co-author Linsey Marr, a Virginia Tech professor who studies airborne transmission of infectious diseases, recommended two ways people can layer their masks for “maximal protection.”
Option 1: Wear a tightly fitted, multiple-layer cloth covering over a surgical mask. “The non-woven polypropylene material of the surgical mask is electrostatically repulsing the virus and then the cloth mask literally forms a physical barrier with fibers going every which way,” Gandhi says. This was the double-masking method CDC researchers tested.
The CDC does not recommend layering another mask over an N95 or similar respirator, such as a KN95. N95s should still be reserved for health-care workers and the updated guidance recommends using only one KN95 mask at a time.
“N95s and EUA-approved KN95s are intended to perform on their own,” the CDC said in an emailed statement to reporters. “Adding additional masks either on top or underneath these respirators could not only affect how well they fit the face and decrease their effectiveness, but could increase the effort needed to breathe through them.”
Option 2: Wear a three-layer mask with tightly woven fabric outer layers sandwiching a middle layer made out of a “nonwoven high-efficiency filter material,” such as a vacuum bag filter, the article states. The filter material will act similarly to a surgical mask or other medical-grade covering, Gandhi says.
Double-masking shouldn’t be “misconstrued to say more and more layers of cloth,” Gandhi notes. Additional material that doesn’t function like a medical-grade mask “is of no utility and will just make your voice muffled,” which may then cause you to pull your face covering down to speak.
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