Wearing a face mask can help reduce the spread of infection and prevent the individual from contracting any airborne infectious germs as well as the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Face masks are part of an infection control strategy to eliminate cross-contamination. They reduce the number of seasonal coronaviruses – among the causes of common colds – detectable in the air as suspended microdroplets, or aerosols.
According to researchers, who studied the effect of surgical masks on the transmission of corona and other flu viruses, the use of surgical masks by sufferers significantly reduce the number of flu viruses detectable in droplets released through breathing and coughing.
Although, the study did not look at the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, further research is needed to determine whether masks can specifically prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2,” the researchers said.
Moreover, the research, published in the journal; Nature Medicine, coincides with the pandemic of COVID-19 respiratory disease, which has infected more than a million people worldwide and killed more than 53,000.
Speaking on what mask to wear, the Professor, Benjamin Cowling, who led the study at the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology in Hong Kong, said its findings could be extrapolated to simpler cotton masks.
The Prof. in a telephone interview said, “my expert view is that cloth or cotton masks would have an effect, but maybe slightly less of an effect than a surgical mask properly worn. And in terms of COVID-19, we’re looking at every possible measure that could help.”
Until now, there have been no concrete scientific evidence on the effectiveness of face masks in slowing transmission of respiratory diseases.
However, The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that masks should be worn by anyone with symptoms such as cough or fever, or anyone caring for a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, but does not advise healthy people to wear them in everyday situations.
A specialist in Infection Biology; London’s Francis Crick Institute, Rupert Beale, who was not directly involved in Cowling’s work, said that the study offered, “strong and compelling evidence”, for mask wearing as a means of reducing transmission of some viruses, but that they were not a magic bullet.
According to him, “mask wearing does not completely prevent transmission and cannot be relied on as a sole measure, but when combined with other social distancing measures, it should form part of the ‘exit strategy’ from lockdown”.
