Study finds mask wearing cuts covid incidents by 53%

[greentea5]

According to researchers at Monash University and the University of Edinburgh, writing in the BMJ:

"Results from more than 30 studies from around the world were analysed in detail, showing a statistically significant 53% reduction in the incidence of Covid with mask wearing and a 25% reduction with physical distancing.

Handwashing also indicated a substantial 53% reduction in Covid incidence, although this was not statistically significant after adjusting for the small number of handwashing studies included.

Detailed analysis was not possible for other measures, including quarantine and isolation, universal lockdowns, and closures of borders, schools, and workplaces, due to differences in study design, outcome measures and quality, the researchers said..."

You can read more at the Guardian. Sadly in England mask wearing continues to be low, I'd estimate about 10% are wearing masks on the buses where I am.

There are also some real world studies:
"...Another study in China found that, in 124 households where there had been a laboratory-confirmed coronavirus case, mask wearing by both the patient and the other inhabitants reduced transmission within the household by 79%.

Aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, where living quarters and working environments leave little room for social distancing, a study found there was a 70% reduced risk of infection among those who used a face covering.

In Thailand, a retrospective case-control study found that among 1,000 people interviewed as part of contact tracing investigations, those who reported always having worn a mask during high-risk exposures again experienced a 70% reduced risk of becoming infected compared with others.

An international report published in The Lancet, which analysed data from 172 studies in 16 countries, found that by wearing a face mask there is just a 3% chance of catching COVID-19..."

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-what-does-the-science-actually-say-about-face-masks-12349337

@Spedder

Yeah but mask wearing protects others not yourself. Why should I wear a mask to protect them when they aren’t wearing a mask to protect me?

@Spedder

How old are you? 3?

I wear a mask, I do it in the hope others follow my example

I wear a mask, even walking into a restaurant.

I really don't see the problem with them. I have asthma and copd, and I wear hearing aids,so mask wearing is a pain in the neck for me. But, so what?

If you cannot wear a mask, it's always been open for you not to do so. Why is it a "thing"? Wear one, if you can. Simple

IndigoC well if that is really the case with Germany, what will happen with Italy Spain and Portugal when mask wearing wanes or are they going to wear them forever now.

Just a shame it’s not a recommendation for only when you are actually unwell and instead they expect perfectly healthy people to wear one.

To me, it's always been obvious that masks reduce transmission.
Such a shame the government have made such a massive mess of spreading that message 🙄

My perfectly healthy 7 year old has to wear the sodding things all day at school and now he coughs every 5 seconds like he has permanent fluff stuck in his throat - he probably does! I hate the shitty things.

Spedder

Yeah but mask wearing protects others not yourself. Why should I wear a mask to protect them when they aren’t wearing a mask to protect me?“

Not so. If you wear an FFP3/ N95 you are well protected, too.

@Lostinacloud

Just a shame it’s not a recommendation for only when you are actually unwell and instead they expect perfectly healthy people to wear one.

That works well in normal circumstances. Not so well in pandemic, with the disease that people can be asymptomatic.

I can see mask wearing if you are in the house can cut transmission at a high rate by dint of most transmission occuring within homes, allegedly.
It doesn't mean mask wearing on a 2O minute trip round a supermarket is that useful. Then we get to the question of what constitutes a mask within the multitude of studies. The grubby cloth thing fished out of a pocket numerous times a day? or were for example the Chinese families given a pack of medical masks to change regularly. (My local Tesco sells very expensive paper ones that are not actual medical masks, someone's making a fortune!)

It's interesting to learn that masking leads to delays in catching covid.

I suppose it adds weight to the argument in favour of lifting mandatory masking from the summer.

Had we not done so, we might have delayed the spread of covid so much that it could have led to an unmanageable peak in the winter period.

I see there is a dispute as to whether the actual reduction is really as high as 53%, but no matter; without evidence of a 100% reduction in transmission rate, the question does remain: if not then, or now, then when?

@Spedder

Yeah but mask wearing protects others not yourself. Why should I wear a mask to protect them when they aren’t wearing a mask to protect me?

Cause you're not a tit for tat cunt?

@stairway

Mask wearing doesn’t seem to be working in the continent. All these measures just kick the can a little further down the road.

The Continent isn't one place. (Unless you're a little Englander obviously) Where do you mean? Germany? Austria? Italy? Portugal?

Scotland and Wales retained masks, why are cases there not significantly lower?

"If not then,or now then when?"
This.

@Spedder

Yeah but mask wearing protects others not yourself. Why should I wear a mask to protect them when they aren’t wearing a mask to protect me?

Are you 12?

I wear FFP2 to protect myself - it sounds harsh but I have gone selfish and am now protecting myself and not worrying what others do because a lot of people think CEV = disposable
Mine marks quite badly so I know it's enough to protect (pic after a 10 min shop)

Why are people not inclined to wear masks. They are a bit of an inconvenience and as an asthmatic I do struggle sometimes but it seems a minor inconvenience. I am not sure how effective they are but I think they probably are (if worn correctly etc ...) so isn't it worth the hassle?

But hand washing doesn't work.
The BMJ study said so, so it must be true.

No not a minor inconvenience to us, my 12 year old son with complex needs struggles to communicate and interact with society so yes it needs to be considered with other vulnerable people in mind. If you want to wear a mask wear one but this should be voluntary.

Sorry should of said kept voluntary as it is now

Geamhradh the WHO believes Europe is now the epicentre of covid again despite all the mask wearing. The UK is bucking the trend. Imo low level exposure keeps the immune system functioning.

Was this based on the delta variant? Which types of masks did they use? Did the wearer use the mask correctly, changing it every 3-4 hours and cover their face and nose?

@Sunshinegirl82

Scotland and Wales retained masks, why are cases there not significantly lower?

Because most transmission probably occurs in household settings and in the pub etc where you are not wearing a mask. If you were to wear a mask when visiting friends and relatives and they also did rates would probably be significantly less. Ditto if people opened windows and sat further apart.

@wintertravel1980

Out of interest, why are you putting study in quotation masks?

It's a well conducted systematic review and meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis of poor quality research produces poor quality conclusions.

Here is the BMJ editorial that outlines some of the shortcomings of the mask effectiveness “study” referenced by the Guardian and Sky.

www.bmj.com/content/375/bmj.n2729

I accept that masks might be 10% effective. This number is in line with earlier estimates produced by the UK SAGE (who quoted a range of 6-15%). Anything higher than 10-15% is not supported by any of the real life data.

Ok that’s a big difference to the rate below. Interesting info

@scottish83

It's interesting to learn that masking leads to delays in catching covid.

I suppose it adds weight to the argument in favour of lifting mandatory masking from the summer.

Had we not done so, we might have delayed the spread of covid so much that it could have led to an unmanageable peak in the winter period.

I see there is a dispute as to whether the actual reduction is really as high as 53%, but no matter; without evidence of a 100% reduction in transmission rate, the question does remain: if not then, or now, then when?

Maybe when more of the new medications that are now in the pipeline are available? In really quite a short time things could be looking different again with two new oral treatments in particular on their way. It's not the case that nothing else is going to change now, or that catching covid once stops you ever catching it again, so we might as well just have a huge exit wave and then we'll be over the worst. That's misguided, not least because the more people catch it the greater the burden on our hospitals in the future of treating people damaged by covid long-term, who might have been less ill and recovered faster with the new medications that are only a month or two away for those at high risk.