Which face masks best protect children against the omicron variant? What experts say

As the omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread across the United States at a staggering rate, parents may be wondering if their children’s cloth masks are the right face coverings for them.

While that cloth mask is better than nothing, experts agree that it’s time to upgrade masks in favor of ones of higher quality. Those cloth masks are “little more than facial decorations,” Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University, said on CNN.

Omicron spreads more quickly and is highly transmissible, so much that it can cut through fabric face masks, experts say.

Here are some solutions and tips for mask wearing as the omicron variant spreads.

Avoid some N95 masks for children

N95 masks are among the best coverings one can wear, but some are not recommended for children.

“In fact, any brand claiming to sell N95s in child size is selling counterfeit (and therefore unsafe) masks,” according to SFGate.com.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says N95 respirators are not made with children in mind.

“Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children ... the N95 respirator may not provide full protection,” according to the FDA.

The white duck-bill N95 coverings, however, may be an option for your child. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says the duck-bill mask protects against airborne infectious germs, but should be changed each week.

Dr. Karl E. Minges, interim dean of the School of Health Sciences at New Haven University in Connecticut, added that the duck-bill N95s “can be effective for people with smaller faces,” according to SFGate.com.

Try these KN95 masks for kids

KN95 masks, more so than the N95s, offer suitable protection for children, experts say. Some are even designed for children.

Parents.com and USA Today recommend the Evolvetogether Ilulissat mask, though it sells out quickly. Evolvetogether’s mask provides “four breathable layers, double filtration, no-tug ear loops and a flat profile.”

Another option the sites recommend is the KN95 kids mask made by Vida, which boasts they are “kid-tested and doctor approved.” It offers a five-layer filtration system with “soft ear bands and a metal nose-piece (to) ensure a snug fit.”

You can also try the KN95 made by WellBefore, a “petite” mask that comes with four layers of protection.

Before the omicron variant, KN95s were not suggested for children because of the lesser strengths of the previous variants. But there is no reason for kids to avoid them, said Dr. Adam Ratner, chief of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital.

“If it’s a little kid, they shouldn’t be using an adult-size mask that’s hanging off their face,” Ratner told NBC News. “If the mask doesn’t fit, you’re at higher risk of kids not wearing it or wearing it incorrectly.”

Other options for children

Three-ply masks also provide protection for children — and may be more realistic for the little ones to wear, Dr. Rick Malley with the Division of Infectious Diseases at Boston Children’s Hospital told Boston 25 News.

“That is probably the most comfortable and the least troublesome in terms of making sure that the child isn’t always pulling it off their nose,” Malley told the station.

One option, according to USA Today, is FDA-approved masks made by Kimberly Clark.

“These are the true stand-by for anyone looking for a surgical mask for kids that is definitively doctor-approved,” USA Today says.

But NBC News medical correspondent Dr. John Torres said surgical masks should only be a second option. He suggests wearing a cloth covering over a surgical mask, according to Today.com.

If children find KN95 masks uncomfortable, they can wear two cloth masks instead, Dr. Shane Fernando, pediatrics professor and clinical epidemiologist at the UNT Health Science Center in Texas, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Try these tips and suggestions for kids’ mask wearing

Finding the right size covering for your child is important, ensuring no non-filtered air can enter open spaces.

“They should also fit securely, covering the nose and mouth completely without causing discomfort and creating a tight seal at the edges with no gaps,” New York Magazine said, citing an NYU Langone Health doctor. “In addition ... the best masks for kids are the ones that fit their faces best. Look for features that improve the fit of a mask such as adjustable ear loops or an adjustable nose piece.”

If your child wears cloth masks, it is recommended they be washed and replaced daily, Dr. Nathaniel Beers, a pediatrician at Children’s National Hospital, told “Good Morning America.”

And if you’re having trouble getting your child to wear a mask, “make it fun,” says Dr. Joseph Gigante, a professor of pediatrics at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

“If there is a superhero or something that they really like, try to get a mask along those lines. Any (good mask) is better than no mask,” Gigante told WTVF.

This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Which face masks best protect children against the omicron variant? What experts say."