Face Masks

Very early in the pandemic (late February 2020) a member of our team did an extensive investigation into whether there were steps one could take to reduce the risk of being infected by an air-borne respiratory virus. She did this research purely for personal reasons in order to be as best prepared for possible pandemic as she could. After looking through 10s of articles in scientific literature, she determined there was absolutely no point in using a facemark, unless it was a Hazmat style mask, design to cover the entire face, and with its own supplied air intake (also known as a supplied air full-face respirator). There was little, if any, significant evidence that a lesser style of mask such as medical facemarks, and N95 facemarks would be of any significant benefit.

It was a surprise to us when the Government advice (from most, if not all, Governments globally) switched from one of “masks won’t help,” to one of mandating the wearing of masks. In many countries the push to have people wear masks continues (as of Dec 2022)((CNBC — CDC encourages people to wear masks to help prevent spread of Covid, flu and RSV over the holidays))((NYT — It’s Time to Wear a Mask Again, Health Experts Say))((CNN — Face masks come back to forefront amid triple threat of Covid-19, flu, RSV)).

Relevant Scientific Literature

There were 3 influenza pandemics in the 20th century, and there has been 1 so far in the 21st century. Local, national, and international health authorities regularly update their plans for mitigating the next influenza pandemic in light of the latest available evidence on the effectiveness of various control measures in reducing transmission. Here, we review the evidence base on the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical personal protective measures and environmental hygiene measures in nonhealthcare settings and discuss their potential inclusion in pandemic plans. Although mechanistic studies support the potential effect of hand hygiene or face masks, evidence from 14 randomized controlled trials of these measures did not support a substantial effect on transmission of laboratory-confirmed influenza. We similarly found limited evidence on the effectiveness of improved hygiene and environmental cleaning. We identified several major knowledge gaps requiring further research, most fundamentally an improved characterization of the modes of person-to-person transmission.