Forty U.S. states now have face mask requirements running. The topic spun out into a controversy, which is unfortunate because masks contribute to public health. We thought this was a suitable moment to consider the matter more dispassionately. We decided to investigate scientific opinion about the virus and masks. Because we believe science is an objective, factual, peer-reviewed body of knowledge.
Scientific Opinion About Masks and the Corona Virus
Dr. John Brooks is chief medical officer of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Covid-19 response program. ‘The more people who wear face masks,’ he says ‘the more the community has protection. And therefore the more you individually benefit, it’s like a herd effect.’
Somewhat controversially, Dr. Brooks believes we could prevent the need for lockdown if 15% more Americans wore masks. And this in turn could cut economic losses that may reach 5% of GDP. He was speaking during an interview with Wall Street Journal at the time.
However, other scientific opinions about the virus and masks believe that approach is too simplistic. ‘We need a multi-tiered approach,’ says John Volckens, public health engineer at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. But masks will be a critical part of that approach.
Shadow Graphing Containment Measures for a Cough
Masks Help Prevent Infected People Spreading the Virus
Health care and emergency workers merit gold standard protection, because they are at high risk on duty. The average American – that’s you and we – can rely on cloth face masks, preferably those with multiple layers. In fact, those that almost block light can be as effective as surgical ones, according to Dr. John Brooks.
Multi-layer cloth face masks can block the virus spreading, including from asymptomatic people not showing symptoms. Granted, they are not 100% effective, although they are a great improvement on no mask at all.
However, masks are just one device in the toolbox, says scientific consensus. Social distancing, ventilation and hand hygiene are also important. ‘None of those is 100% effective by itself,” Dr. Lindsay Marr at Virginia Tech assured Wall Street Journal. ‘But when we combine them, then we can make a big dent in the risk of transmission.’
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