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- A new study from the Mayo Clinic has shown that face masks of all types are essential in preventing the transmission of the coronavirus.
- Researchers used mannequins to prove the effectiveness of face coverings and conducted similar experiments at different distances.
- The study found that face masks combined with social distancing can significantly reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 when exposed to infected people.
Rather than becoming a mere tool to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, face masks have become very controversial. An anti-mask movement fueled by politics rather than science has gained traction in the United States and abroad, with some people becoming convinced that face masks are not helping to stop the spread. Some have gone even further, claiming that the masks will prevent oxygen from reaching the body. Worse yet, some have equated masks with oppression and have found all kinds of reasons to avoid wearing masks in public.
Time and time again, the scientific community has stepped in, conducting simple experiments and conducting studies that have shown how face masks block tiny particles like the novel coronavirus and have proven to pose no threat to the safety of the wearer. The latest such study comes from the Mayo Clinic, whose study concluded that masks play a “critical” role in preventing the transmission of COVID-19.
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Researchers at the Mayo Clinic conducted a series of experiments involving mannequins to simulate the spread of particles with and without a mask. As you’ll see in the following clip, the researchers wanted to measure the effectiveness of the masks at blocking aerosols and droplets. They used mannequins to simulate how an infected person would shed droplets when wearing any type of face mask, from medical masks to fabric coverings. And they watched how the mannequin would spread the same stream of particles without a face shield:
Researchers also looked at social distancing requirements and found that the further away people are, the lower the risk of infection, especially when combined with the use of a face mask.
“We have found that the most important measure to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is to wear a mask,” said department director of radiology, Dr. Matthew Callstrom. “We found that both disposable paper medical masks and two-layer fabric masks were effective in reducing droplet transmission, and we did not find a difference between the types of masks in terms of the degree of particle blockage. aerosol emitted by the carrier. “
“The most common mechanism of transmission of COVID-19 is through respiratory droplets which are larger than aerosols and which are more easily blocked with masks,” added the doctor.
The CDC and the WHO both say the virus is spread primarily by droplets, with both agencies recognizing aerosol transmission is a risk. The researchers released the following image that compares the size of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to a 2 micron particle believed to represent the size of an aerosol particle that could contain coronavirus:
The study also measured the movement of aerosol particles from a source to a target at different distances. The researchers found that the number of particles was reduced with a greater distance, supporting the CDC’s guidelines on social distancing which recommends a distance of six feet between people. The following graph shows the risk of exposure based on masking and distance. The researchers found that the masks help even though both subjects are closer to six feet.
“I think we had some knowledge of the importance of masks, and there have been a number of studies that have shown that masks are effective at blocking viruses, but what’s really important here is is how effective masking is when done by both parties, ”chair of the infectious disease department said Dr. Elle Berbari.
“We have objectively found that masks are critically important in protecting you and the people around you,” Callstrom said. “If you wear a mask, you protect others. If they wear masks, they protect you.
Chris Smith started writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he even knew it he was sharing his take on tech with readers around the world. Whenever he doesn’t write about gadgets, he miserably fails to walk away from them, although he desperately tries. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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