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.
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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
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Senior Lecturer, Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Control, UNSW
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PhD Candidate, The Kirby Institute, UNSW
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Professor, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
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Professor in the Division of Epidemiology, University of Toronto
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Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley
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Research Associate, Dalhousie University
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Research Associate, UNSW
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Professor of Medicine, Boston University
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UNSW
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Adjunct Professor, NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University
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Professor, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW
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Lecturer, UNSW
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Professor, Department of History, University of Guelph
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Associate Professor, Integrative Biology, University of Guelph