Study: Widespread Use Of Face Masks Combined With Lockdowns May Prevent Further Waves Of COVID
According to a UK study, facemask among the population use could control COVID-19 transmission levels for national epidemics and could prevent further waves of the pandemic disease when combined with lockdowns.
Population-wide use of face masks combined with lockdowns could help prevent further waves of COVID-19, claims a new study as reported by Reuters.
The research was led by scientists at Britain¡¯s Cambridge and Greenwich Universities and suggests lockdowns alone will not stop the resurgence of COVID-19. It says that even homemade masks masks can have a significant effect on reducing transmission rates if enough people use them in public.
AFP
¡°Our analyses support the immediate and universal adoption of facemasks by the public,¡± said Richard Stutt, who co-led the study at Cambridge.
The findings showed that if population-wide masks will be used along with social distancing and lockdown measures, there could be ¡°an acceptable way of managing the pandemic and re-opening economic activity¡± before a vaccine comes into play.
The study¡¯s findings were published in the ¡°Proceedings of the Royal Society A¡± scientific journal.
AFP
On Friday, the World Health Organisation updated its guidance and recommended that every government should ask citizens to wear face masks in public areas, especially where there is a risk to reduce the spread of the infection.
¡°We have little to lose from the widespread adoption of face masks, but the gains could be significant,¡± said Renata Retkute, who co-led the study.
