Face Masks Do Not Create False Sense of Security, Study Suggests

Sep, 2020 - By SMI

The researchers have urged officials or authorities to recommend or mandate the wearing of face masks to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Wearing face masks should be adopted by every individual during the global pandemic to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. According to previous studies, around 50% of individuals who are diagnosed with the virus may show no symptoms of the disease. Now, according to the research team from King's College London and the University of Cambridge, wearing a face mask does not create a false sense of security and does not increase the risk of infection. Wearing face masks, especially in crowded spaces or public spaces, is now recommended or mandated in around 160 countries to curb the spread of the virus.

Moreover, a face mask is a part of protective measures, including good hand hygiene and social distancing. However, it is still unclear how much effect the face-covering has. The researchers have urged officials or authorities to recommend or mandate the wearing of face masks to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Early in the pandemic, however, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that face mask may create a false sense of security and may neglect other essential measures.

The team examined the risk to see if concerns could be justified in the context of a face mask to curb the spread of the virus. People have a targeted level of risk with which they are comfortable and they adjust their behavior to maintain that risk. For example, to cycle at speed, a cyclist may wear a helmet. Wearing a bike helmet inevitably led to an increase in the number of fatal incidents and injuries. Around 22 organized reviews have calculated the effect of a face mask on the spread of infection. According to a new review commissioned by WHO, eye protection, face masks, and social distancing all appear to reduce the spread of COVID-19, in both the general community and health care settings.