Health Experts Say N95 Face Masks Offer Best Protection

With COVID-19 infection numbers jumping from the Omicron variant, it’s a good time to consider or maybe reconsider what mask you are wearing to protect yourself and those around you. “This is not the time to be wearing a cloth mask. I know it’s cold outside, but you do not want to use your scarf as your mask,” said Dr. Geeta Nayyar, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami. She says the gold standard for protection is an N95 face mask. “The KN95 or N95, that 95 really stands for keeping out 95% of particles, so Omicron falls into that category,” she said. Another tip — reusing your mask is OK. “When you take it off, put it in a Ziploc bag. Keep it in a room temperature room,” Nayyar said.