Study: 100% face mask use could crush second, third COVID-19 wave

Jun 12, 20200

Chiang Ying-ying, AP count

Face mask use is virtually universal in Taiwan, one of the countries least impacted by COVID-19 due to interventions. (Shown: Taipei street on May 18, 2020.)

We've all heard it many times: Wear a face covering - indoors, outdoors, on trains and buses. At work, in the supermarket and at church.

But now a new modeling study out of Cambridge and Greenwich universities suggests that face masks may be even more important than originally thought in preventing future outbreaks of the new coronavirus.

To ward off resurgences, the reproduction number for the virus (the average number of people who will contract it from one infected person) needs to drop below 1.0. Researchers don't believe that's achievable with lockdowns alone. However, a combination of lockdowns and widespread mask compliance might do the trick, they say.

https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Study-100-face-mask-use-could-crush-second-15333170.php?utm_campaign=CMS+Sharing+Tools+%28Desktop%29&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR0DygEzee-YFn1A5CDlS44CW6R1y7-6UTntwGNN3YQhOWHVTMptWEqYmWM