The first large scale randomised trial of the effectiveness of face masks in stopping the spread of Covid-19 has found that they have no significant effect in stopping the spread of the Chinese virus.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, concluded that the “recommendation to wear surgical masks to supplement other public health measures did not reduce the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among wearers by more than 50% in a community with modest infection rates, some degree of social distancing, and uncommon general mask use.”
This finding echoes the advice of health experts during the initial outbreak when the public was advised not to wear face masks.
Since, last Spring, government’s have changed from recommending that people refrain from wearing masks to making them mandatory in public settings.
Researchers behind the study went on to say:
“The findings, however, should not be used to conclude that a recommendation for everyone to wear masks in the community would not be effective in reducing SARS-CoV-2 infections, because the trial did not test the role of masks in source control of SARS-CoV-2 infection. During the study period, authorities did not recommend face mask use outside hospital settings and mask use was rare in community settings. This means that study participants’ exposure was overwhelmingly to persons not wearing masks.”
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