An updated Cochrane Review suggests face masks don’t reduce the spread of COVID in the community. But there are several reasons why this conclusion is misleading.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
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Billions of face masks and other personal protective equipment have been used throughout the pandemic. Containing plastic, these items are damaging wildlife and their environments.
Here are some practical tips to keep you comfortable while helping you stay safe.
Since the coronavirus first began spreading around the globe, people have debated how effective masks are at preventing COVID-19. A year and a half in, what does the evidence show?
Wearing face masks hides our facial expressions and affects our social interactions. They make it harder for us to read facial expressions and can contribute to racist perceptions.
From a purely environmental perspective, owning multiple reusable face masks, and machine-washing them together, is the best option.
A few simple pointers can help you spot a quality mask from a dud.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not the first time people have been required to wear face masks for protection. Mask-wearing has a long history, and reflects society’s sense of shared responsibility.
The more layers your mask has, the better, our new research confirms.
As Melbourne returns to lockdown, the evidence suggests routine mask-wearing - as seen in many countries but not so far in Australia - could be a valuable tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
The CDC is reconsidering its policy about the widespread public’s use of masks, as is the World Health Organization. Here are the facts about when it’s appropriate to wear a mask – and what kind.
Top contributors
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Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC L3 Research Fellow, Head, Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney
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PhD Candidate, The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney
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Senior lecturer, UNSW Sydney
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Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford
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Honorary Fellow, Deakin University
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Professor of Medicine, Boston University
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Adjunct Professor, NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
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Professor, Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University
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Lecturer, UNSW Sydney
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Research Associate, UNSW Sydney
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UNSW Sydney
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Global Journalism Fellow, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
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Associate Professor, Integrative Biology, University of Guelph
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Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley
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PhD Student, Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University
