By Julia Rosier

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people begin wearing two layers of masks as more easily transmissible COVID-19 variants are spreading throughout the U.S. Some students at the University of Maryland have decided to partake in double-masking in order to keep themselves safe.

The new variants discovered in the United Kingdom and South Africa were recently detected in Maryland and Washington, D.C., according to the CDC. There are three variants present in Maryland, including 58 of the U.K. variant, one of the Brazilian variants and nine from the South African variant, as of Tuesday.

Senior marketing major Julia Garber said that she double-masked when she was at home with her family. Garber said that she isn’t sure if it really does anything to protect her.

“Anytime I left the house, I decided to double mask because they’re at risk,” Garber said. “A lot of my masks didn’t have that metal wire that helps you mold it to your nose, so I guess I like to put two of those to help out a little bit to make it more protective.”

Garber said that none of her friends wear multiple masks. She said that she would wear two disposable masks when she left her apartment.

“I just had COVID-19, and I feel like there is a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not those antibodies actually protect you, and I’m not looking to get it a second time,” Garber said.

Although Garber decided to wear two masks, not all students believe it is needed. Junior kinesiology major Mel Rosenbloom said that she does not feel that double masking is a necessity.

“As much as the science proves that double masking probably is more protective against COVID-19, I just have always gone through the pandemic wearing one mask,” Rosenbloom said. “That’s kind of just the most standard.”

Rosenbloom said that she thinks it could be beneficial for people who are at risk and that those who are immunocompromised should double mask in order for them to stay protected. 

“College students, to me, just don’t seem like they would take that extra precautionary step, which I guess I fall into that category,” Rosenbloom said. “But I definitely think people who are immunocompromised or just at a higher risk for having complications with COVID-19 could benefit.”

According to the CDC, these new variants seem to be spreading more rapidly and will potentially “put a strain on health care resources, leading to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths.”

The CDC recommends that users fit masks snugly around their face, wear masks with layers and with a nose wire, use a mask fitter or brace and knot and tuck the ear lobes of a 3-ply mask.

Featured image: The CDC is now recommending that people wear two layers of masks to combat new, more transmissible COVID-19 variants. Photo by Sarah Natchipolsky.