Decline in COVID-19 Hospitalization Growth Rates Associated with Statewide Mask Mandates - 10 States, March-October 2020

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 2021-02, Vol.70 (6), p.212-216
• Main Authors: Joo, Heesoo, Miller, Gabrielle F, Sunshine, Gregory, Gakh, Maxim, Pike, Jamison, Havers, Fiona P, Kim, Lindsay, Weber, Regen, Dugmeoglu, Sebnem, Watson, Christina, Coronado, Fátima
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age groups; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cohort Studies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - therapy; Disease transmission; Full Report; Growth; Health aspects; Hospitalization; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Masks; Masks - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Morbidity; Public Health - legislation & jurisprudence; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Statistics; United States - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0149-2195; 1545-861X
• DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7006e2

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is transmitted predominantly by respiratory droplets generated when infected persons cough, sneeze, spit, sing, talk, or breathe. CDC recommends community use of face masks to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (1). As of October 22, 2020, statewide mask mandates were in effect in 33 states and the District of Columbia (2). This study examined whether implementation of statewide mask mandates was associated with COVID-19-associated hospitalization growth rates among different age groups in 10 sites participating in the COVID-19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network (COVID-NET) in states that issued statewide mask mandates during March 1-October 17, 2020. Regression analysis demonstrated that weekly hospitalization growth rates declined by 2.9 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.3-5.5) among adults aged 40-64 years during the first 2 weeks after implementing statewide mask mandates. After mask mandates had been implemented for ≥3 weeks, hospitalization growth rates declined by 5.5 percentage points among persons aged 18-39 years (95% CI = 0.6-10.4) and those aged 40-64 years (95% CI = 0.8-10.2). Statewide mask mandates might be associated with reductions in SARS-CoV-2 transmission and might contribute to reductions in COVID-19 hospitalization growth rates, compared with growth rates during