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Are masks effective against coronavirus?
Unchallenged
Used surgical masks that are disposed of improperly can increase the risk of coronavirus spreading
Because surgical masks are designed to keep infections from spreading (by trapping droplets from the wearer), used masks can become laden with coronavirus. If these virus-carrying masks are disposed of improperly (e.g. outside of a hospital setting), they can infect others.
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Unchallenged
Masks may be effective at protecting people from COVID-19, as long as they're not reused
A 2006 report by the US National Academy of Sciences discourages the reuse of masks because the hazardous buildup of harmful particles within the mesh, cannot be cleaned out without damaging the fibres or other components of the device (such as the straps or nose clip).
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Most Validated
A study found that SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) remained stable in the air for several hours, suggesting the illness could be hampered by masks.
A team of researchers blasted virus-laden fluids into a rotating cylinder to create an aerosolised cloud of air, and found that the virus remained stable for several hours within that cloud, raising fears about its ability to persist in ambient air.
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Less Validated
The study that involved blasting virus-laden fluids into a rotating cylinder to create aerosol clouds was done under artificial conditions
Saskia Popescu of George Mason University said the study doesn’t reflect “what’s occurring when you’re just walking down the street," and is “...more akin to medically invasive procedures like intubation... [which] are unique to the healthcare setting."
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Unchallenged
Masks can prevent the spread of coronavirus, even if they don't protect the wearer from contracting it.
Lydia Bourouiba, an associate professor at MIT, has researched the dynamics of exhalations and found that exhalations cause gaseous clouds that can travel up to 27 feet (8.2 meters). Masks can reduce the distance travelled by gaseous clouds and the amount of droplets in them.
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Most Validated
Different types of masks show different levels of effectiveness against coronavirus
There are homemade cloth face masks, surgical masks and N95 respirators. A 2008 study showed that homemade masks may be half as effective as surgical masks, and up to 50 times less effective than N95 respirators.
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Less Validated
A trial of hospitals in Ontario, Canada found no significant difference in levels of protection provided by surgical vs N95 masks
A randomised trial of 446 nurses in the emergency departments, and medical and paediatric units of 8 tertiary care Ontario hospitals found that the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza was similar in nurses wearing the surgical mask and those wearing the N95 respirator.
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Most Validated
N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFR) remove viruses from inhaled air
N95 masks remove particles from the air breathed through it. These respirators filter out at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) particles. N95 FFRs are capable of filtering out all types of particles, including bacteria and viruses.
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Less Validated
Even N95 respirators lead to some amount of leakage and don't provide full protection
3M one of the world's largest manufacturers of masks and respirators says, “No matter how well a respirator seals to the face and how efficient the filter media is, wearers should expect a small amount of leakage inside any respirators.”
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Unchallenged
Coronavirus-carrying droplets may be prone to becoming aerosolised (suspended in the air), in which case masks would help.
A 2008 study of flu viruses found they can become aerosolised in exhalations without coughing or sneezing. While it remains an open question whether coronavirus can also be aerosolised, it may be wise to err on the side of caution and wear masks (given what we know about flu).
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Unchallenged
A non-peer reviewed systematic review of 31 published studies found there may be a small benefit from wearing masks
Paul Hunter (University of East Anglia) and his colleagues analysed the efficacy of face masks, and found that they seem to prevent sick people from spreading the studied viruses, but the evidence is weak and inconsistent.
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Unchallenged
Members of the public buying or hoarding masks could increase the overall risk of coronavirus spreading
Hospitals around the world are reporting personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, which causes healthcare workers to fall ill at faster rates and in larger numbers. This reduces the number of active healthcare workers and the number of people who are treated successfully.
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Unchallenged
There is some (limited) data showing that patients who wear masks are less likely to infect others
A relatively small study of hospitalised flu patients—across 6 major hospitals in 2 districts of Beijing, China, and involving 245 people with influenza-like illness (ILI)—found that mask-wearers were less likely to infect their family members.
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Unchallenged
A 2015 study in Vietnam found that those who wore cloth masks were more likely to be infected than those wearing medical masks
The study compared rates of infection—with clinical respiratory illness (CRI) and influenza-like illness (ILI)—between healthcare workers who wore disposable medical masks vs reusable cloth ones. The rates of all infection outcomes were highest among those wearing cloth masks.
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Unchallenged
Face masks can be effective at protecting vulnerable individuals
In a systematic review of 31 studies (undertaken at the University of East Anglia), it was found there is enough evidence to support the use of face masks for short periods of time, by particularly vulnerable individuals, when in transient higher-risk situations.
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Unchallenged
A 2013 study found that homemade masks should be considered as a last resort (but would be more effective than wearing nothing).
The study, which compared homemade vs surgical masks, found both significantly reduced the number of microorganisms expelled by volunteers, although the surgical mask was 3 times more effective at blocking transmission than the homemade mask.
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Unchallenged
A 2013 study found that surgical masks are somewhat effective at reducing exposure to the flu virus
Live influenza virus was measurable from the air behind all surgical masks tested. The data indicate that a surgical mask will reduce exposure to aerosolised infectious influenza virus; reductions ranged from 1.1- to 55-fold (average 6-fold), depending on the design of the mask.
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Most Validated
A study on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) found they can be useful at preventing the spread of flu within households.
The study concluded, "Results suggest that household transmission of influenza can be reduced by the use of NPI, such as face masks and intensified hand hygiene, when implemented early and used diligently."
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Less Validated
A study, run in Thailand, on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) found they didn't prevent the spread of flu
The study concluded, "Influenza transmission was not reduced by interventions to promote hand washing and face mask use." Although, it also says the ineffectiveness "... may be attributable to transmission that occurred before the intervention..." and other factors.
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Unchallenged
A 2020 study in Nature found that people infected with milder human coronaviruses release fewer viral particles when wearing surgical masks.
The study concluded that surgical masks can effectively reduce the emission of influenza virus particles into the environment in respiratory droplets, but not in aerosols. They also reduced coronavirus detection and viral copies in large respiratory droplets and aerosols.