Coronavirus: N95, surgical face mask or DIY? Experts say ‘something better than nothing’
- After the United States recommended citizens make their own cloth face masks, experts weigh in on their effectiveness
- Research shows surgical masks work, but even the gold standard N95 respirators should not be used as a substitute for social distancing, scientists warn
With the World Health Organisation, as well as countries led by the United States, Singapore and Canada, now recommending the use of masks or makeshift facial coverings to contain the spread of coronavirus, the rush to secure supplies has intensified.
In the US, where there is a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), authorities have encouraged people to make their own facial coverings to ensure that surgical masks and higher end respirators are reserved for frontline medical staff.
“It looks like their strategic stockpile is less than what we have expected, so I understand why they gave this recommendation,” said Chane-Yu Lai, associate professor at Chung Shan Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan.
There is a spectrum of evidence about the effectiveness of facial coverings for protecting both the wearer and wider society, but medical experts agree that they should not be a replacement for containment efforts, such as rigorous hand washing or social distancing. There is also consensus, however, that in times of emergency, some sort of face covering should be worn if you leave your home.
“The concept is that something is better than nothing,” said Benjamin Cowling, head of epidemiology at Hong Kong University (HKU) and one of the authors of a groundbreaking recent study published in the journal Nature, which concluded that “surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses and influenza viruses from symptomatic individuals”.