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- Title
Professional and Home-Made Face Masks Reduce Exposure to Respiratory Infections among the General Population.
- Authors
van der Sande, Marianne; Teunis, Peter; Sabel, Rob
- Abstract
Background: Governments are preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. Therefore they need data to assess the possible impact of interventions. Face-masks worn by the general population could be an accessible and affordable intervention, if effective when worn under routine circumstances. Methodology: We assessed transmission reduction potential provided by personal respirators, surgical masks and homemade masks when worn during a variety of activities by healthy volunteers and a simulated patient. Principal Findings: All types of masks reduced aerosol exposure, relatively stable over time, unaffected by duration of wear or type of activity, but with a high degree of individual variation. Personal respirators were more efficient than surgical masks, which were more efficient than home-made masks. Regardless of mask type, children were less well protected. Outward protection (mask wearing by a mechanical head) was less effective than inward protection (mask wearing by healthy volunteers). Conclusions/Significance: Any type of general mask use is likely to decrease viral exposure and infection risk on a population level, in spite of imperfect fit and imperfect adherence, personal respirators providing most protection. Masks worn by patients may not offer as great a degree of protection against aerosol transmission.
- Subjects
PANDEMICS; INFLUENZA; BREATHING apparatus; MECHANICAL ventilators; INFECTIOUS disease transmission; PREVENTION of communicable diseases; RESPIRATORY infections; VOLUNTEER workers in medical care; PUBLIC health; SAFETY; PREVENTION
- Publication
PLoS ONE, 2008, Vol 3, Issue 7, p1
- ISSN
1932-6203
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0002618