Epidemiology reveals mask wearing by the public is crucial for COVID-19 control

Zeng, Nianyi; Li, Zewen; Ng, Sherrianne; Chen, Dingqiang; Zhou, Hongwei

doi:10.1016/j.medmic.2020.100015

Cited by 41 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis [ 51 ] showed that mask wearing by health workers and non-health workers and in the general community is and efficient in preventing the infection by SARS-CoV2. Another study [ 52 ] showed that wearing masks in public is crucial as a preventive measure to ensure a significant reduction in the daily infected cases. In addition to that a prospective cohort study [ 53 ] found that the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 is increase among frontline health workers, therefore adequate strategies should be implemented to ensure the availability of personal protective equipments in order to protect health workers from COVID-19.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: a systematic review

et al. 2021

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Background In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was recognized in Wuhan, China. It was characterised by rapid spread causing a pandemic. Multiple public health interventions have been implemented worldwide to decrease the transmission of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the implemented public health interventions to control the spread of the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Science Direct and MedRxiv for relevant articles published in English up to March 16, 2021. We included quasi experimental studies, clinical trials, cohort studies, longitudinal studies, case-control studies and interrupted time series. We included the studies that investigated the effect of the implemented public health measures to prevent and control the outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Results The database search using the predefined combinations of Mesh terms found 13,497 studies of which 3595 in PubMed, 7393 in Science Direct 2509 preprints in MedRxiv. After removal of the duplicates and the critical reading only 18 articles were included in this systematic review and processed for data extraction. Conclusions Public health interventions and non-pharmaceutical measurements were effective in decreasing the transmission of COVID-19. The included studies showed that travel restrictions, borders measures, quarantine of travellers arriving from affected countries, city lockdown, restrictions of mass gathering, isolation and quarantine of confirmed cases and close contacts, social distancing measures, compulsory mask wearing, contact tracing and testing, school closures and personal protective equipment use among health workers were effective in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effective public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: a systematic review

et al. 2021

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“…Public mask wear was widespread in China after January 20 ( Supplemental Table A2 ). 54 , 55 , 60 , 71 The following recommended public masking in March: Kuwait, 14 Nepal, Lithuania, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Slovenia, Iran, 14 Bulgaria, Ukraine, Austria, the Cayman Islands, and Mauritius ( Supplemental Table A2 ). The following recommended public masking in April (by the 16th): Israel, Germany, Brazil, Cuba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the United States, Singapore, Turkey, France, Cyprus, Peru, India, Colombia, El Salvador, Malawi, the Ivory Coast, 68 Estonia, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Tunisia, Morocco, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, Panama, Jamaica, Poland, Guatemala, Bahrain, Guyana, Uruguay, South Africa, Spain, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Guinea, Nigeria, 72 Equatorial Guinea, Finland, Luxembourg, Gabon, and Libya ( Supplemental Table A2 ).…”

Section: Masks: Early Adoptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Country-wide Coronavirus Mortality with Demographics, Testing, Lockdowns, and Public Wearing of Masks

Leffler

Ing

Lykins

et al. 2020

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

177

220

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We studied sources of variation between countries in per-capita mortality from COVID-19 (caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus). Potential predictors of per-capita coronavirus-related mortality in 200 countries by May 9, 2020 were examined, including age, gender, obesity prevalence, temperature, urbanization, smoking, duration of the outbreak, lockdowns, viral testing, contact-tracing policies, and public mask-wearing norms and policies. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed. In univariate analysis, the prevalence of smoking, per-capita gross domestic product, urbanization, and colder average country temperature was positively associated with coronavirus-related mortality. In a multivariable analysis of 196 countries, the duration of the outbreak in the country, and the proportion of the population aged 60 years or older were positively associated with per-capita mortality, whereas duration of mask-wearing by the public was negatively associated with mortality (all P < 0.001). Obesity and less stringent international travel restrictions were independently associated with mortality in a model which controlled for testing policy. Viral testing policies and levels were not associated with mortality. Internal lockdown was associated with a nonsignificant 2.4% reduction in mortality each week (P = 0.83). The association of contact-tracing policy with mortality was not statistically significant (P = 0.06). In countries with cultural norms or government policies supporting public mask-wearing, per-capita coronavirus mortality increased on average by just 16.2% each week, as compared with 61.9% each week in remaining countries. Societal norms and government policies supporting the wearing of masks by the public, as well as international travel controls, are independently associated with lower per-capita mortality from COVID-19.

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“…In order to limit the spread of the virus, governments across the world implemented precautionary actions such as physical distancing [ 15 ], washing hands for 20 s [ 16 ], wearing face mask in public [ 17 , 18 ], disinfecting surfaces, and self-isolation. However, due to various reasons, the restrictions and stay-at-home orders have been lifted in many countries making it critical to use face masks or face coverings, as they potentially prevent the COVID-19 spread in public [ 19 , 20 , 21 ]. The model presented by Einkenberry et al, 2020 [ 22 ] suggests that face masks decrease the effective transmission rate, and that when practiced with physical distancing and hygiene measures, can lead to a decrease in epidemic mortality and thereby decrease burden on health care systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Size-Dependent Filtration Efficiency of Alternative Facemask Filter Materials

et al. 2021

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The use of facemasks is proven to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus and other biological agents that cause disease. Various forms of facemasks, made using different materials, are being used extensively, and it is important to determine their performance characteristics. The size-dependent filtration efficiency and breathing resistance of household sterilization wrap fabrics, and isolation media (American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)- and non-ASTM-rated), were measured in filter-holder- and mannequin-in-chamber-based systems, focusing on particles sizes between 20 nm and 2 μm. Double-layer MERV-14 (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values with rating 14) showed the highest filtration efficiency (94.9–73.3%) amongst household filter media, whereas ASTM-rated isolation masks showed the highest filtration efficiencies (95.6–88.7) amongst all the masks considered. Filtration efficiency of 3D-printed masks with replaceable filter media was found to depend on the degree of sealing around the media holder, which depended on the material’s compressibility. Filtration efficiencies of triple-layer combinations (95.8–85.3%) follow a profile similar to single layers but with improved filtration efficiencies.

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Epidemiology reveals mask wearing by the public is crucial for COVID-19 control

Cited by 41 publications

References 10 publications

Effective public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: a systematic review

Effective public health measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: a systematic review

Association of Country-wide Coronavirus Mortality with Demographics, Testing, Lockdowns, and Public Wearing of Masks

Size-Dependent Filtration Efficiency of Alternative Facemask Filter Materials

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