Face masks effectively limit the probability of SARS-CoV-2 transmission

Airborne transmission by droplets and aerosols is important for the spread of viruses. Face masks are a well-established preventive measure, but their effectiveness for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission is still under debate. We show that variations in mask efficacy can be explained by different re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science 2021-06, Vol.372 (6549), p.1439-1443
Main Authors: Cheng, Yafang, Ma, Nan, Witt, Christian, Rapp, Steffen, Wild, Philipp S, Andreae, Meinrat O, Pöschl, Ulrich, Su, Hang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Airborne infection
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Disease transmission
Epidemiology
Expulsion
Geochem Phys
Hazardous materials
Health care facilities
Indoor environments
Infections
Masks
Pandemics
Protective equipment
Respiratory diseases
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Sneezing
Viral diseases
Viruses
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Summary:Airborne transmission by droplets and aerosols is important for the spread of viruses. Face masks are a well-established preventive measure, but their effectiveness for mitigating SARS-CoV-2 transmission is still under debate. We show that variations in mask efficacy can be explained by different regimes of virus abundance and related to population-average infection probability and reproduction number. For SARS-CoV-2, the viral load of infectious individuals can vary by orders of magnitude. We find that most environments and contacts are under conditions of low virus abundance (virus-limited) where surgical masks are effective at preventing virus spread. More advanced masks and other protective equipment are required in potentially virus-rich indoor environments including medical centers and hospitals. Masks are particularly effective in combination with other preventive measures like ventilation and distancing.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.abg6296