![]() Vermund, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told us in a phone interview. ![]() “What they found was that one or the other, or both, all of them, were associated with a reduction in incidence rates,” Dr. The study also found reopening restaurants was associated with a statistically significant increase in daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates 41 days after implementation, with 2.2 and 3.0 percentage point increases in the death growth rate 61 to 80 and 81 to 100 days after restrictions were lifted. The reductions in growth rates increased with time, reaching 1.1, 1.5, 1.7 and 1.8 percentage points within 21 to 40, 41 to 60, 61 to 80, and 81 to 100 days, respectively, after implementation. The study found that mask mandates were associated with a 0.5 percentage point decrease in daily COVID-19 case growth rates within the first 20 days. It didn’t account for the level of compliance and enforcement of the policies, either, and it did not make a difference between dining conditions, such as indoor or outdoor, in restaurants. But it did not control for other policies that could affect case and death rates, such as closure of other types of businesses and physical distancing recommendations. The CDC says the study controlled for some variables such as restaurant closures in the mask mandates models and mask mandates in the restaurant reopening models, as well as bar closures, stay-at-home orders, and bans of gatherings. counties that allowed restaurants to reopen, and compared that data with county-level changes in COVID-19 case and death growth rates. ![]() counties (73.6% of a total 3,142) where mask mandates were implemented and from the 3,076 (97.9%) U.S. To do so, it looked at data from 2,313 U.S. In this case, CDC scientists examined the association of state-issued mask mandates and on-premises restaurant dining with COVID-19 cases and deaths from March 1 to Dec. The new study cites and builds upon previous studies that have confirmed the effectiveness of mask mandates and restaurant closures in reducing COVID-19 outcomes. “The CDC study referenced noted that mask mandates were associated with statistically significant decreases in county-level daily COVID-19 case and death growth rates.” What the Study Found “The data we now have conclusively show that widespread use of masks is a very effective way to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” said CDC’s Jasmine Reed in an email. But conservative outlets and social media users turned those findings around to say the CDC found face masks have a “negligible impact” on COVID-19 outcomes and that mask mandates “made no statistical difference.”Ī story published by One America News Network, a conservative cable channel, on March 7, falsely claimed the CDC “has admitted face masks do little to prevent the spread” of the virus and that the numbers in the study “ didn’t exceed statistical margins of error.” The story has been seen by over 230,000 users on Facebook.Ī CDC spokesperson told us that’s not correct. The findings support the premise that mask requirements help limit the potential exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which therefore reduces the spread of the disease, COVID-19. The growth rates of daily COVID-19 cases and deaths slowed significantly in counties where states required masks, according to a study that analyzed the impacts of last year’s state-issued mask mandates across the country. For more, see our SciCheck story, “ The Evolving Science of Face Masks and COVID-19.” Layered, tightly woven cloth masks offer more protection, while well-fitting surgical masks and KN95 respirators provide even more protection and N95 respirators are the most protective. Loosely woven cloth masks are the least protective. ![]() The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear the most protective mask that fits well and can be worn consistently. Masks, however, should not be viewed as foolproof, as no mask is thought to offer complete protection to the wearer or to others. Some research also indicates face masks can protect the wearer as well. While each of these study types has its limitations, collectively, most experts agree that masks are likely to reduce transmission of the coronavirus and should be used by members of the public when around other people. Numerous studies similarly document an association between self-reported mask wearing and control of the virus in a community or the implementation of a mask mandate and a subsequent decline in COVID-19 cases. Analyses of people who came into contact with those with COVID-19 have also found mask-wearing to be associated with a reduced risk of contracting the virus. ![]() Lab tests, for example, show that masks can partially block exhaled respiratory droplets, which are thought to be the primary way the virus spreads. Multiple lines of evidence back the use of face masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |