The German government has made it mandatory to wear respiratory masks covering mouth and nose (MNC) as an effective strategy to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections. In many countries, this directive has been extended on shopping malls or public transportation. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the statutory regulation to wear protective masks during… Continue reading Face masks: benefits and risks during the COVID-19 crisis
Tag: face-masks
Face #masks effectively limit the probability of #SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Airborne transmission by droplets and aerosols is important for the spread of viruses. Face masks are a well-established preventive measure, but their effectiveness for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission is still under debate. We show that variations in mask efficacy can be explained by different regimes of virus abundance and related to population-average infection probability and reproduction… Continue reading Face #masks effectively limit the probability of #SARS-CoV-2 transmission
Collectivism predicts #mask use during #COVID-19
Since its outbreak, COVID-19 has impacted world regions differentially. Whereas some regions still record tens of thousands of new infections daily, other regions have contained the virus. What explains these striking regional differences? We advance a cultural psychological perspective on mask usage, a precautionary measure vital for curbing the pandemic. Four large-scale studies provide evidence… Continue reading Collectivism predicts #mask use during #COVID-19
#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… Continue reading #Hydrating the respiratory tract: an alternative explanation why masks lower severity of #COVID-19
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… Continue reading Decline in Covid-19 Hospitalisation Growth Associated With Statewide Mask Mandates
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… Continue reading Evaluation of Cloth #Masks and Modified Procedure Masks as Personal Protective Equipment for the Public During the #COVID-19 Pandemic
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.… 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
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%,… Continue reading Effect of Face #Masks on Gas Exchange in Healthy Persons and Patients with #COPD
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… Continue reading Facial Masking for #Covid-19 — Potential for “#Variolation” as We Await a Vaccine
2 Medical News 