HKU checking that masks 70pc effective
The University of Hong Kong is retesting one of its earlier studies on the effectiveness of surgical masks that found they can reduce the spread of viruses by more than 70 per cent. The original study involved HKU, the University of Maryland and Harvard School of Public Health, and was conducted in 2009 in the United States.
The University of Hong Kong is retesting one of its earlier studies on the effectiveness of surgical masks that found they can reduce the spread of viruses by more than 70 per cent.
The original study involved HKU, the University of Maryland and Harvard School of Public Health, and was conducted in 2009 in the United States.
HKU's School of Public Health is now working to reproduce and extend the study's findings in Hong Kong.
"We expect similar findings, but we're interested to see if factors in Hong Kong, such as high humidity and temperature, might play a special role," said Dr Ben Cowling, the principal investigator of the study.
We expect similar findings, but we're interested to see if factors in Hong Kong, such as high humidity and temperature, might play a special role
The earlier study found that normal surgical masks, available in pharmacies, were effective in "source control" when people who have the flu wear them, despite earlier debate among health professionals about how useful they were.