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If masks really stop the coronavirus, why are so many people still getting infected? The World Health Organization encourages the use of masks even at the Christmas table. In the UK, for example, studies show that three-quarters of residents wear masks in mandatory areas, but the virus is spreading at a staggering rate.
Experts are trying to find out: whether wearing a face covering really protects against infection with the new coronavirus, writes the Russian newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets”, quoted by the agency “Focus”.
Does wearing a mask help protect against coronavirus? Disputes on this issue are between the opponents of the masks and the forces of order and the use of the protective accessory. The latter seem to be the majority, at least in Great Britain. Surveys show that three-quarters of Britons wear masks in mandatory places – public transport, offices, pubs and restaurants – when not seated at a table and in most enclosed spaces, according to the Daily Mail.
However, the infection spreads quickly. Over the last week, cases have increased in almost all parts of England, and in some areas the infection rate has doubled compared to April.
Countries that have introduced the mandatory use of outdoor masks, such as Spain and Italy, have also not avoided the new devastating waves of Covid-19.
The theory is that indoors, the masks capture viral particles that are released from an infected person’s mouth or nose when they cough, sneeze or speak. In the last six months, several studies have shown that the masks are effective in this regard. In June, The Lancet collected data from 172 studies from 16 countries and concluded that six feet of social distancing and wearing a mask reduced the risk of contracting the new coronavirus.
A US study published in August found that the rates were four times lower in countries where wearing masks was considered the norm or the government made it mandatory.
In the UK, most of the data leads to the conclusion that masks are effective at the population level when worn by an infected person.
Professor Paul Digard, a virologist at the University of Edinburgh who participated in the study, explained: “The main source of transmission is through droplets of fluid from coughing and sneezing, which send the virus into the air. The coronavirus particles are too small to stop from a mask, but they often travel with larger water droplets. These droplets are big enough to be caught by the mask. “
But the droplets are not the only way the virus spreads. In July, the WHO published new guidelines on how the virus spreads through smaller, lighter particles that travel through the air, such as smoke or dust, and persist long after an infected person leaves the area.
“Masks can do little to stop the transmission of air,” says Professor Digard. “The coronavirus particles that are not contained in the water droplets are too small to be stopped by the masks.” However, the expert added that only a small proportion of infections are spread by airborne droplets, since virus particles do not remain in the air for long. But there is little evidence of the effectiveness of the masks in real conditions.
Most studies conducted in spring and summer include laboratory tests using fans to simulate human coughing and monitoring the effectiveness of masks in limiting the movement of water droplets.
A real-life trial involving 6,000 participants wearing surgical masks in public proved unconvincing. Professor Jimmy Whitworth of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine added: “Even the actual research is hampered by the fact that it is not known whether the participants actually wear the mask correctly or if they wear it at all.”
There is little research on whether we wear masks the right way, but experts say this is one aspect of the debate that is often overlooked. Professor Whitworth says: “Studies show that they are effective, but they must be used correctly, with a blocked mouth and nose.”
As for whether they prevent the virus from penetrating by protecting the owner, the evidence is even more fragile.
The research does not take into account unknown variables, such as how often people use them. “Masks are unlikely to prevent you from contracting the virus, but they are more likely to prevent infected water droplets from escaping from your mouth,” says Professor Digard.
Masks are less powerful than another key protection tool: social distancing. Yet according to a national October poll, 42 percent of Britons at some point violated the 2-meter distance rule, compared with just a tenth of respondents who didn’t wear a mask in the store.
Professor Whitworth says: “The two most important risk factors for infection with the new coronavirus are poor ventilation and overcrowding. The more air you share with others, the more likely you are to get it.”
The official advice is to wear masks when social distancing is not possible. Data shows this to be the case, and scientists say that if it weren’t for the masks, there could be even more infections.
Data from Public Health England shows that most of the outbreaks broke out between August and October in schools and workplaces, in settings where people rarely wear masks. Meanwhile, pubs and restaurants, which require masks and can only meet in small groups, account for about five percent of all outbreaks.
Another hot spot is homes where people rarely wear masks. In fact, we don’t know for sure what effect masks have. “But common sense tells me it’s worth it,” says Professor Whitworth.
Professor Digard believes that laboratory research is sufficient evidence that masks provide greater protection, although not always directly.
Italian research shows that wearing masks makes us more likely to adhere to social distancing and other restrictions related to the pandemic. Professor Julian Tan from the University of Leicester said: “Scientists have suggested that masks will give people a false sense of security and calm them down. But research shows otherwise. When people wear masks, they begin to understand better. to others and to comply with the rules. “
After all, even if wearing a mask brings little benefit, it carries little or no risk. As Professor Digard said, “What will you lose by using them?”
