Four months of discord about the corona virus epidemic have transformed the cloth Tube Mask into a potent political symbol, touted by Democrats as a key part of communal responsibility, labelled by some GOP leaders as a sign of government overreach and as a scarlet letter pinned on the weak. But as partisan interests sew symbolism and controversy into masks, scientists are trying to provide answers about how effectively those masks prevent transmission of the corona virus, and what role they should play in efforts to limit the pathogens spread.
Several new studies published this month support wearing masks to curb the transmission of the novel corona virus. The broadest, a review funded by the World Health Organization and published in the journal Lancet, concluded that data from 172 observational studies indicate wearing face masks reduces the risk of corona virus infection. Four months of discord about the corona virus epidemic have transformed the cloth mask into a potent political symbol, touted by Democrats as a key part of communal responsibility, labelled by some GOP leaders as a sign of government overreach and as a scarlet letter pinned on the weak.
Several new studies published
Several new studies published this month support wearing Custom Mask to curb the transmission of the novel corona virus. The broadest, a review funded by the World Health Organization and published in the journal Lancet, concluded that data from 172 observational studies indicate wearing face masks reduces the risk of corona virus infection. Reviews such as the Lancet report compile data from many smaller reports to synthesize those findings. Sch¼nemann cautioned that the studies collected in the Lancet article were observational, not randomized trials. Observational research, which doesn’t have a change imposed by scientists, generally has more limitations than controlled studies. The influence of outside factors cannot be eliminated, for example.
Face masks appear to be most effective when supplemented with hand-washing and physical distancing, Sch¼nemann and his colleagues said. Most studies in the review analysed face masks in hospitals or other medical settings, and some took place in households where an infected person lived. The studies don’t settle the question of whether the protective benefit of a face mask derives from the barrier it creates a or from behavior changes it might prompt. The mask could remind people not to touch their faces or serve as a visual reminder of a dangerous virus lurking.
Conclusion
Werner Ernst Bischoff, a professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest University known for his studies on respiratory transmission of viruses, said masks are critical because the simple act of breathing releases potentially infected particles. Loud talking, yelling and singing release even more.