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It should be clear to everyone by now: a mask over the mouth and nose is a physical barrier against the spread of the coronavirus. So it can make a lot of sense to prescribe the use of masks. In certain regions, on certain occasions and in certain rooms.
This is the conclusion reached by economists at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, near Vancouver, in a study just published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research. Specifically, they found: Wearing masks reduces the number of corona infections by at least a quarter, maybe even nearly half.
Comparable to Switzerland
The researchers base their findings on the spread of the virus in Canada. The advantage: as in Switzerland, the introduction of a more or less stringent mask requirement spread over several months. In Canada, too, not all provinces were involved in the mask requirement from the beginning; As in Switzerland at this time, each canton decides autonomously on the introduction and scope of the mask requirement.
This means that economists were able to compare the development of corona infections over weeks with and without the requirement for a mask. In the Canadian provinces, the number of corona cases fell between 36 and 46 percent thanks to the mask.
“Effective political measure”
Combining these results with other international studies, Canadians conclude that the mask requirement can be a very effective tool: “Taken together, these results suggest that the use of masks in public places is an effective policy measure for prevent the spread to slow down Covid-19, “quotes the” world “of researchers.” Although, at least in the short term, this is only associated with minor economic shocks, “the economists conclude. (koh)
