It’s Time to Ditch Cloth Mask and Get More Protection for Omicron Variant: Study

Wearing the right mask matters now more than ever, and there’s good news - they can be worn longer than you might think. Dr. Jack Caravanos from NYU’s school of public health says an N95 mask offers the best protection against the Omicron variant, and can be worn about a week before disposing of it. KN95 masks are also good for five days of use, and even longer if you disinfect them with hot steam. But cloth masks aren’t going to offer much Omicron protection, according to a new study.