Key Points
A recent study claimed that wearing masks probably "makes little to no difference" the spread of respiratory illnesses..
According to a paper published in Cochrane Review, titled Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses, there is no clear difference between medical or surgical masks versus N95s in providing routine care...
"Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference, the review authors concluded of their work comparing masking with non-masking to prevent influenza or SARSCoV2 (Covid-19)...
The study found that "wearing N95/P2 respirators probably makes little to no difference in how many people have confirmed flu (five studies; 8407 people); and may make little to no difference in how many people catch a flu-like illness (five studies; 8407 people), or respiratory illness (three studies; 7799 people)."..
Earlier last year, the World Health Organisation issued a guideline about wearing masks stating that face masks reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses as it reduces the number of infection particles which may be inhaled or exhaled..
