Researchers in Mexico invent nose-only COVID-19 masks to be worn during eating, drinking

CDC updates face mask recommendations, says two are better than one

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the agency is now recommending double-masking, and using masks with moldable nose wire and knotting ear loops to reduce COVID-19 spread.

LOS ANGELES - Researchers in Mexico have invented a nose-only COVID-19 mask intended to protect the individual while they eat, according to a report from Reuters on Wednesday.

Reuters posted a video of two individuals wearing the masks that sit directly over their noses.

Researchers designed the masks to be worn under a normal face mask, Reuters reported. In the video, people are wearing masks covering only their noses, allowing them to easily eat and drink.

Some on Twitter imitated the masks posting photos of clown noses.

"Hardly a new invention, clowns have been wearing them for years," one user posted.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that odor-sensing cells in the nose are key entry points for the novel coronavirus.

While many mocked the nose-only masks for appearing to have a lack of protection, Reuters reported the masks offer additional protection for people eating and drinking especially since it’s impractical to wear a mask while consuming food and beverages.

The science on masks amid the novel coronavirus pandemic has rapidly evolved, and researchers have continued to surface more and more evidence proving their effectiveness. Now, some medical experts are saying two masks are even better than one.

In January, in an interview with the TODAY show, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, said, "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."

"That’s the reason why you see people either double masking or doing a version of an N95," Fauci added.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t explicitly state that people should double up on facial coverings, but the health agency says multi-layer cloth masks can block up to 70% of respiratory droplets that can carry the deadly virus.

"Multiple layers of cloth with higher thread counts have demonstrated superior performance compared to single layers of cloth with lower thread counts," the CDC wrote in a report on cloth masks published Nov. 20, 2020.