Search Results for "face masks"

Fewer flu cases observed in the start of this flu season, but Donald Trump Jr.’s tweet suggesting data manipulation is unsupported and cites inaccurate figures

It is premature to make conclusions about the number of flu deaths for the current flu season, as the season just began and flu deaths do not peak until later in the season. There is no evidence supporting the claim that any observed reduction in the number of flu deaths this season is the result of data manipulation. Instead, the lower level of flu activity observed this season is likely due, in part, to public health measures implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Masks are effective at reducing COVID-19 primary transmission through respiratory droplets; the CDC acknowledges airborne transmission via aerosols can also occur

Current epidemiological data indicates that COVID-19 primarily spreads through respiratory droplets that are released when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. Growing evidence suggests that smaller aerosol particles may also play a role in the transmission of COVID-19. Wearing face masks and cloth face coverings are effective measures for reducing the spread of COVID-19 because they reduce the transmission of large respiratory droplets. In contrast, some aerosol particles may leak through the fabric pores and around the mask. To reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, wearing face masks must be combined with other transmission control measures, such as physical distancing, good hand hygiene, and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.

Claims that flu cases are used to inflate COVID-19 case counts are misleading, based on inaccurate numbers

Health authorities have observed lower than usual flu activity in October 2020, which is generally the month in which flu season begins. The widespread adoption of public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing masks and physical distancing, likely contributed, in part, to the lower flu activity observed so far this year compared to previous years. However, scientists emphasize that preparing for the flu season is still important, due to the uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the flu season has only just begun at the time of this review’s publication, hence it is premature to conclude that flu cases have indeed decreased compared to last year.

Mask use does not increase risk of COVID-19 as viral social media posts claim

One key observation in the study was that cases were more than twice as likely as controls to have been to a restaurant in the 14 days before symptoms appeared. This was in spite of the fact that most cases reported wearing a mask. COVID-19 mainly spreads by respiratory droplets that are generated through coughing, sneezing, as well as talking. Face masks help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing the generation of respiratory droplets from an infected person.

COVID-19 is at least an order of magnitude more deadly than seasonal flu, according to current estimates

The measure that best describes the lethality of an infectious disease is the infection fatality ratio (IFR). The IFR indicates the proportion of people who die from a disease among all the people infected, including both confirmed cases as well as undetected infections. According to their respective IFR estimates, COVID-19 is at least ten times more deadly than an average flu season, particularly for middle-aged and elderly. Furthermore, the lack of effective treatments or vaccines for COVID-19, along with potential long-term damage, make COVID-19 a serious health threat.

Tuberculosis, the flu, and COVID-19 differ in disease prevalence and burden, requiring different public health responses

COVID-19, tuberculosis (TB), and the flu are all respiratory illnesses that spread through the air, hence protective measures recommended for these diseases are similar. However, the three diseases differ in disease prevalence and burden, leading public health officials to devise recommendations specific to each disease. Unlike TB and the flu, there are no effective treatments or vaccines for COVID-19. The number of TB cases in the U.S. is extremely low, and the flu has a lower mortality rate than COVID-19. These factors taken together explain why public health measures for controlling COVID-19 spread are needed in the community, but not implemented in the case of TB and the seasonal flu.

Cloth masks are effective at reducing virus transmission because it spreads in respiratory droplets, which are larger than smoke particles and the pores in fabric

When considering effective mechanisms for reducing virus transmission, it is the size of respiratory droplets—rather than the size of the virus itself—that needs to be considered. While viruses are smaller than smoke particles or the pores in the fabric of a cloth mask, viruses cannot travel in the air on their own and must be carried by respiratory droplets, which are much larger than smoke particles or pores in fabric. Therefore, cloth masks are effective at reducing virus transmission as they block respiratory droplets, but ineffective at reducing smoke particle transmission.

Masks offer only partial protection from the virus that causes COVID-19, but their effectiveness can be enhanced with other measures like physical distancing

It is an oversimplification to claim that “either masks work or they don’t”, because the underlying assumption is that face masks must work perfectly, and if they do not, then they don’t work at all. On the contrary, the risks of disease exposure and the degree of protection one can achieve from different safety measures lie on a continuum. Even though face masks do not confer 100% protection to the wearer or to others, scientific evidence has demonstrated that face masks reduce the transmission of viral respiratory infections like COVID-19 to some degree. Therefore, it remains important for people to continue to practice physical distancing and proper hand hygiene as the combination of the three measures greatly enhances the effectiveness of any one measure used alone.

People infected with SARS-CoV-2 can transmit the virus to others, even if they do not show symptoms of the disease and are not considered sick

Scientific evidence indicates that about half of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs before infected individuals experience any symptoms of COVID-19. Studies show that asymptomatic carriers, who are people that never develop symptoms of COVID-19, carry as much of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as symptomatic patients and can spread the virus if they do not take adequate measures, such as wearing masks or maintaining physical distance from others.

Altered image falsely suggests that restaurant staff in Maine are required to wear dog cone-style face visors to protect against COVID-19

Restaurant staff in Maine are not required to wear dog cone-style visors as part of COVID-19 precautionary measures. The updated prevention checklists issued by Maine Governor Janet Mills’ administration only require staff who have opted to use face shields instead of face masks to wear them upside down. A photo of a restaurant staff member appearing to wear a dog cone-style face visor at work is altered.