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Hi, everyone.

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My name is Dr. Mitch Rosner.

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I serve as chair of the UVA Department of
Medicine, and I also serve as the chief medical

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adviser for the University’s COVID-19 Response.

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I’d like to talk with you today about a
topic that we all know well – the importance

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of face coverings as part of our effort to
slow the transmission of COVID-19 here on

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Grounds and in the Charlottesville community.

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So with the spring semester now under way,
this felt like a good time to give you a quick

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“mask update” to let you know what’s
new or different.

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Before we do, I’d like to say a couple of
quick thank-you's.

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The first one is to you.

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Thank you for everything you’ve done so
far to help us have a safe fall semester,

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and to help us get off to a strong start for
this spring semester.

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This truly is an effort that depends on everyone
looking out for one another.

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We can have a successful spring semester too
if we continue to work together and we don’t

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let our guard down.

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The second thank you is to my special guest
in this video.

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Most of you probably know Brennan Armstrong.

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He’s quarterback for the Wahoos football
team and we appreciate him lending a hand

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today.

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OK, so I’m going to start with the most
basic recommendation and request.

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Please wear a mask.

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Any mask is better than no mask.

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That’s because COVID-19 is spread primarily
in the droplets that we expel when talking,

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singing, coughing, and definitely when sneezing.

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A mask helps block those droplets both on
the way out and helps another person avoid

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inhaling someone else’s droplets.

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Masks are only effective if they fit and are
worn properly.

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The mask should cover both your nose and mouth.

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And should fit snugly on the sides without
big gaps that allow the vapors to escape.

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Just about everyone has more than one cloth
mask at this point.

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The important thing about these masks is to
check that they have at least two layers of

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fabric.

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A big question right now is whether two masks
are better than one mask, and if you should

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double up on cloth masks.

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In a recent interview, Dr. Fauci said researchers
are still figuring out if two masks are scientifically

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more effective than one.

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But he also said it’s just common sense
that if one mask is effective because it contains

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respiratory vapors, then a second mask would
logically provide more protection.

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As long as they fit well and you can still
comfortably breathe, then two cloth masks

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is a good option.

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If the CDC makes that an official recommendation
at some point, we’ll let you know.

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Another option for most cloth masks is to
use a filter insert.

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Many of these two-ply cloth masks have an
inner sleeve where you can insert a filter

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that offers more ability to block the vapors.

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You can see here that this is a very simple
and easy option that can improve the effectiveness

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of your mask.

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So, what about the light blue or yellow disposable
masks that you probably also have used and

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definitely have seen?

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Not every light blue mask is a three-ply mask.

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But many of them are.

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These masks are relatively thin, but they
are also effective because – as the name

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tells us – they’re constructed with three
layers of material.

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The science on these masks isn’t conclusive
yet either.

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But there is some evidence that they are more
effective than the standard cloth mask.

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They definitely provide a better fit, as you
can see here.

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On most of them, you can adjust the way the
mask fits across the top of your nose for

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a really snug fit.

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And they generally are close fitting on the
sides of your face.

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For this reason alone, these three-ply masks
might provide greater protection, especially

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when you are indoors and around other people.

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This kind of mask is pretty comfortable to
wear with a cloth mask over it too.

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It’s less bulky than doubling up on cloth
masks and actually has more layers of protection.

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These three-ply masks were not that abundant
in the first months of the pandemic.

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But there are more of them in the overall
mask supply now.

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I’m happy to tell you that UVA has been
able to purchase a good supply of them.

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We provided them to areas that are higher-risk
for virus transmission at first.

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This includes areas like Facilities Maintenance,
Parking and Transportation and others.

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We’re in position now to make them available
more broadly to students and people on Grounds.

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You can pick up a pack of the three-ply masks
at any of the locations where UVA is currently

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conducting saliva testing.

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That includes the Central Grounds Parking
Garage.

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The East Gate of Scott Stadium.

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The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library.

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And at the The Park on North Grounds.

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You can find these locations and more information
at the Be SAFE website as well.

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A three-ply mask should last you all day or
more if it doesn’t become wet or soiled.

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You might also be familiar with the heavy
duty N95 masks.

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These are used mostly in patient-care settings,
and the supply of them has generally been

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reserved for that kind of use.

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They are less comfortable to wear for long
periods and are more difficult to breathe

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in than other masks.

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The CDC and other health experts have said
– and we agree with this view here at UVA

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– that it’s more important to encourage
mask-wearing overall than to consider recommending

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a broad use of N95 masks outside of healthcare
settings.

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I want to thank you again for everything you
are doing to help us and help each other through

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the pandemic.

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Thanks also to Brennan for his help here today.

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The vaccine is welcome news and we all look
forward to eventually returning to more normal

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conditions.

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Let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later.

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Until then, keep your guard up.

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And keep your mask on.