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Articles sur Facemasks

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XBB.1.5 is rapidly spreading across the globe and will likely become the next dominant COVID-19 subvariant. (Shutterstock)

FAQ on COVID-19 subvariant XBB.1.5: What is it? Where is it prevalent? How does it differ from Omicron? Does it cause serious illness? How can I protect myself? Why is it nicknamed ‘Kraken’?

The XBB.1.5 subvariant — nicknamed ‘Kraken’ — is arguably the most genetically rich and most transmissible SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant yet.
Fit, fabric and design affect mask effectiveness. (Windsor Essex Sewing Force)

What’s next with face masks? Keep wearing them in public, wear the best mask available and pay attention to fit

We tested well-fitting cloth masks made from 16 kinds of cotton, on human participants, to see how many provided filtration comparable with a certified medical mask. Most of them did.
A woman wears a face mask as she walks by the sculpture ‘The Illuminated Crowd’ on a street in Montréal. Vulnerable people may benefit from measures like face masks even after the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Should public health measures like masking continue beyond the pandemic? Data on viral infections shows their benefits

Decreases in respiratory infections during the pandemic suggest there may be a continued role for the selective, non-mandated use of measures like masks and social distancing even post-COVID-19.
Texas’ announced it is ending its COVID-19 restrictions. Its vaccination rate is among the lowest in the U.S., and its case numbers are still high. Montinique Monroe/Getty Images

States drop COVID-19 mask mandates but still expect people to mask up – will they?

The COVID-19 case spike in the summer of 2020 and earlier attempts to rely on personal responsibility, like wearing seat belts, showed that mandates make a difference.
Layering face masks has been suggested as a way to increase protection against COVID-19 variants that may be more transmissible. (Shutterstock)

Are two cloth masks better than one for preventing the spread of COVID-19?

Are two face masks better than one? Adding layers of filtration by double masking is a way of using the masks that we already have, possibly to better effect.
The authors didn’t examine diners’ perceptions of polka-dot masks specifically. AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu

Yes, customers do like it when waiters and hairdressers wear a mask – especially if it’s black

The positive reaction to service workers wearing masks varied by region, with those in the West on the high end and people in the Midwest at the low end.

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