Mask use during COVID-19: A risk adjusted strategy

Wang, Jiao; Pan, Lijun; Tang, Song; Ji, John S.; Shi, Xiaoming

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115099

Cited by 191 publications

(182 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In communicating about the use of facemasks, efforts should be made to normalize the behaviour, to reduce the risk of discrimination or stigma targeted at those that are exempted from use (for physical or mental health reasons) and which continue to focus on the community being part of the solution. As suggested by Wang et al public health messages to the public must include: the rational for wearing the mask, how to select the proper mask, how to dispose the mask and a reminder to continue with other prevention and control measures [73].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19: examining the factors that influence engagement and the impact on individuals

et al. 2020

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Background: During an evolving outbreak or pandemic, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) including physical distancing, isolation, and mask use may flatten the peak in communities. However, these strategies rely on community understanding and motivation to engage to ensure appropriate compliance and impact. To support current activities for COVID-19, the objectives of this narrative review was to identify the key determinants impacting on engagement. Methods: An integrative narrative literature review focused on NPIs. We aimed to identify published peer-reviewed articles that focused on the general community (excluding healthcare workers), NPIs (including school closure, quarantine, isolation, physical distancing and hygiene behaviours), and factors/characteristics (including social, physical, psychological, capacity, motivation, economic and demographic) that impact on engagement. Results: The results revealed that there are a range of demographic, social and psychological factors underpinning engagement with quarantine, school closures, and personal protective behaviours. Aside from the factors impacting on acceptance and compliance, there are several key community concerns about their use that need to be addressed including the potential for economic consequences. Conclusion: It is important that we acknowledge that these strategies will have an impact on an individual and the community. By understanding the barriers, we can identify what strategies need to be adopted to motivate individuals and improve community compliance. Using a behavioural framework to plan interventions based on these key barriers, will also ensure countries implement appropriate and targeted responses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19: examining the factors that influence engagement and the impact on individuals

et al. 2020

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“…Wearing a mask is a crucial preventative measure, as many people with the disease may be asymptomatic (37). Singapore enforced the use of masks for the general public, a measure which was able to achieve good results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of course, it should not be forgotten that the mandatory use of masks can increase demand and cause shortages, so it can be a threat to health workers who are more involved in the management of the disease (37). Iran was able to solve the mask problem to some extent by establishing mask factories and also using the capacity of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mandatory use of masks in public places can be a very effective way for reducing the transmission of COVID-19 (9). The long-term implementation of social distancing is practically unfeasible and unsustainable, and can have very disruptive effects on the economy, whereas the use of masks can help protect people against this disease (37). Even if there is a shortage of medical masks, it is recommended that people can use non-medical masks, which can be cost effective.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interrupted time series analysis of the implementation of social distancing policy, its lifting and the mandate of wearing face masks in Iran to mitigate against COVID-19

Saki

Behzadifar

et al. 2020

Preprint

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BackgroundCOVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China, and has spread rapidly around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of implementing social distancing policy, and the impact of its lifting, with the resumption of social contacts and activities, as well as the effects of mandating face masks on the temporal trend of new COVID-19 cases in Iran. Methods We employed the interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), which is a very valuable method that can be used to evaluate the impact of the implementation of various policies in the health sector to help health policy-makers make effective decisions. Daily data were collected from the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the World Health Organization from 954 public hospitals and health center settings. Data were extracted 14 days before and after the implementation of each policy. Results were computed with their 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-values equal to or less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. All data were analyzed using the open-source software R Version 3.6.1 using the “nlme” and “car” packages.ResultsThe slope of changes in new confirmed cases following the implementation of the social distancing policy decreased by 118.79 (P <0.001). With the resumption of social and economic activities in all provinces except for Tehran, initially the number of new daily confirmed cases was 3300, which was statistically significant (P <0.001). The slope of changes due to the implementation of this policy was 47.89 (P <0.001). A similar trend was detected with the resumption of social and economic activities in Tehran. With the implementation of the policy of mandatory use of masks, the slope of changes showed a decrease of 25.84 (P <0.001). Conclusion Given the absence of effective drugs and vaccines against COVID-19, policy-makers have implemented non-pharmacological interventions to reduce the transmission of the disease and prevent more deaths. Social distancing may be unsustainable in the long-term, while wearing masks is both a cost-effective and efficacious measure to curb disease transmission.

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“…Given what is generally known about respiratory viruses, strategies to mitigate transmission have included government orders to practice regular hand hygiene, physical distancing, including the closures of public locations commonly associated with community gatherings, and more recently to wear masks. [1][2][3] Studies thus far have largely focused on comparisons among those seeking medical care for the disease [4][5][6][7] or evaluations of large administrative datasets. 8 It can be difficult to track individual-level characteristics and behaviors, particularly as they are dynamic and changing over time, as they relate to incident disease.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of Incident Viral Symptoms Ascertained in the Era of Covid-19

Marcus

Olgin

Peyser

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: In the absence of universal testing, effective therapies, or vaccines, identifying risk factors for viral infection, particularly readily modifiable exposures and behaviors, is required to identify effective strategies against viral infection and transmission. Methods: We conducted a world-wide mobile application-based prospective cohort study available to English speaking adults with a smartphone. We collected self-reported characteristics, exposures, and behaviors, as well as smartphone-based geolocation data. Our main outcome was incident symptoms of viral infection, defined as fevers and chills plus one other symptom previously shown to occur with SARS-CoV-2 infection, determined by daily surveys. Findings: Among 14, 335 participants residing in all 50 US states and 93 different countries followed for a median 21 days (IQR 10-26 days), 424 (3%) developed incident viral symptoms. In pooled multivariable logistic regression models, female biological sex (odds ration [OR] 1.75, 95% CI 1.39-2.20, p<0.001), anemia (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.16-1.81, p=0.001), hypertension (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.08-1.68, p=0.007), cigarette smoking in the last 30 days (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.35-2.55, p<0.001), any viral symptoms among household members 6-12 days prior (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.67-2.55, p<0.001), and the maximum number of individuals the participant interacted with within 6 feet in the past 6-12 days (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.25, p<0.001) were each associated with a higher risk of developing viral symptoms. Conversely, a higher subjective social status (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.93, p<0.001), at least weekly exercise (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.47-0.70, p<0.001), and sanitizing one's phone (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.99, p=0.037) were each associated with a lower risk of developing viral symptoms. Interpretation: While several immutable characteristics were associated with the risk of developing viral symptoms, multiple immediately modifiable exposures and habits that influence risk were also observed, potentially identifying readily accessible strategies to mitigate risk in the Covid-19 era.

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Mask use during COVID-19: A risk adjusted strategy

Cited by 191 publications

References 38 publications

Improving the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19: examining the factors that influence engagement and the impact on individuals

Improving the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19: examining the factors that influence engagement and the impact on individuals

Interrupted time series analysis of the implementation of social distancing policy, its lifting and the mandate of wearing face masks in Iran to mitigate against COVID-19

Predictors of Incident Viral Symptoms Ascertained in the Era of Covid-19

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