6533b823fe1ef96bd127e11b
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Face masks effectively limit the probability of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Philipp S. WildNan MaChristian WittUlrich PöschlMeinrat O. AndreaeMeinrat O. AndreaeMeinrat O. AndreaeSteffen RappYafang ChengHang Susubject
2019-20 coronavirus outbreakCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)EpidemiologyGeochem PhysComputer scienceGeneral Science & TechnologyvirusesSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Airborne transmissionlaw.inventionVaccine RelatedlawReportBiodefenseStatisticsLungMultidisciplinaryPreventionfungiFace masksTransmission (mechanics)Infectious DiseasesEmerging Infectious DiseasesGood Health and Well BeingInfectionViral loadReportsdescription
Masking out air sharing The effectiveness of masks in preventing the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been debated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. One important question is whether masks are effective despite the forceful expulsion of respiratory matter during coughing and sneezing. Cheng et al. convincingly show that most people live in conditions in which the airborne virus load is low. The probability of infection changes nonlinearly with the amount of respiratory matter to which a person is exposed. If most people in the wider community wear even simple surgical masks, then the probability of an encounter with a virus particle is even further limited. In indoor settings, it is impossible to avoid breathing in air that someone else has exhaled, and in hospital situations where the virus concentration is the highest, even the best-performing masks used without other protective gear such as hazmat suits will not provide adequate protection. Science , abg6296, this issue p. 1439
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-05-01 |