Tag: face-masks

Environment, Infectivology

#Hydrating the respiratory tract: an alternative explanation why masks lower severity of #COVID-19

The seasonality of respiratory diseases has been linked, among other factors, to low outdoor absolute humidity and low indoor relative humidity, which increase evaporation of water in the mucosal lining of the respiratory tract. We demonstrate that normal breathing results in an absorption-desorption cycle inside facemasks, in which supersaturated air is absorbed by the mask fibers during expiration, followed by evaporation during inspiration of dry … Continue reading #Hydrating the respiratory tract: an alternative explanation why masks lower severity of #COVID-19

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Infectivology

Decline in Covid-19 Hospitalisation Growth Associated With Statewide Mask Mandates

What is already known about this topic? Wearing masks is recommended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. What is added by this report? During March 22–October 17, 2020, 10 sites participating in the COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network in states with statewide mask mandates reported a decline in weekly COVID-19–associated hospitalization growth rates by up to 5.5 percentage points for adults aged 18–64 years after mandate … Continue reading Decline in Covid-19 Hospitalisation Growth Associated With Statewide Mask Mandates

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Infectivology

Evaluation of Cloth #Masks and Modified Procedure Masks as Personal Protective Equipment for the Public During the #COVID-19 Pandemic

..To evaluate the fitted filtration efficiency (FFE) of various consumer-grade and improvised face masks, as well as several popular modifications of medical procedure masks that are intended to improve mask fit or comfort. Design, Setting, and Participants For this study conducted in a research laboratory between June and August 2020, 7 consumer-grade masks and 5 medical procedure mask modifications were fitted on an adult male … Continue reading Evaluation of Cloth #Masks and Modified Procedure Masks as Personal Protective Equipment for the Public During the #COVID-19 Pandemic

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Infectivology

Contamination and washing of cloth #masks and risk of infection among hospital health workers in Vietnam: a post hoc analysis of a randomised controlled trial

In a previous randomised controlled trial (RCT) in hospital healthcare workers (HCWs), cloth masks resulted in a higher risk of respiratory infections compared with medical masks. This was the only published RCT of cloth masks at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.. ..Viral contamination with rhinovirus was identified on both used medical and cloth masks. Most HCW (77% of daily washing) self-washed their masks by … Continue reading Contamination and washing of cloth #masks and risk of infection among hospital health workers in Vietnam: a post hoc analysis of a randomised controlled trial

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Infectivology, Pneumology

Effect of Face #Masks on Gas Exchange in Healthy Persons and Patients with #COPD

..In order to demonstrate the changes in end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) before and after wearing a surgical mask, we used a convenience sample of 15 housestaff physicians without lung conditions (aged 31.1  1.9 years, 60% male) and 15 veterans with severe COPD (aged 71.6  8.7 years, FEV1 44.0  22.2%, 100% male). The patients needed to have a post-bronchodilator FEV1 … Continue reading Effect of Face #Masks on Gas Exchange in Healthy Persons and Patients with #COPD

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Environment, Infectivology

Facial Masking for #Covid-19 — Potential for “#Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine

…SARS-CoV-2 has the protean ability to cause myriad clinical manifestations, ranging from a complete lack of symptoms to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death. Recent virologic, epidemiologic, and ecologic data have led to the hypothesis that facial masking may also reduce the severity of disease among people who do become infected.3 This possibility is consistent with a long-standing theory of viral pathogenesis, which holds … Continue reading Facial Masking for #Covid-19 — Potential for “#Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine

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Environment, Infectivology

Reduction of secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households by face mask use, disinfection and social distancing: a cohort study in Beijing, China

Transmission of COVID-19 within families and close contacts accounts for the majority of epidemic growth. Community mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing are thought to be effective but there is little evidence to inform or support community members on COVID-19 risk reduction within families.. ..The secondary attack rate in families was 23.0% (77/335). Face mask use by the primary case and family contacts before … Continue reading Reduction of secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households by face mask use, disinfection and social distancing: a cohort study in Beijing, China

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Infectivology

Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of #COVID-19

Various mitigation measures have been implemented to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including widely adopted social distancing and mandated face covering. However, assessing the effectiveness of those intervention practices hinges on the understanding of virus transmission, which remains uncertain. Here we show that airborne transmission is highly virulent and represents the dominant route to spread the disease. By analyzing the trend and mitigation … Continue reading Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of #COVID-19

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Environment, Infectivology

Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks

The emergence of a pandemic affecting the respiratory system can result in a significant demand for face masks. This includes the use of cloth masks by large sections of the public, as can be seen during the current global spread of COVID-19. However, there is limited knowledge available on the performance of various commonly available fabrics used in cloth masks. Importantly, there is a need … Continue reading Aerosol Filtration Efficiency of Common Fabrics Used in Respiratory Cloth Masks

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Infectivology

Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton #Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients

..Neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered SARS–CoV-2 during coughs by infected patients. Prior evidence that surgical masks effectively filtered influenza virus (1) informed recommendations that patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear face masks to prevent transmission (2). However, the size and concentrations of SARS–CoV-2 in aerosols generated during coughing are unknown. Oberg and Brousseau (3) demonstrated that surgical masks did not exhibit … Continue reading Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton #Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients

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Environment, Infectivology

Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face #masks

We identified seasonal human coronaviruses, influenza viruses and rhinoviruses in exhaled breath and coughs of children and adults with acute respiratory illness. Surgical face masks significantly reduced detection of influenza virus RNA in respiratory droplets and coronavirus RNA in aerosols, with a trend toward reduced detection of coronavirus RNA in respiratory droplets. Our results indicate that surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses … Continue reading Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face #masks

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