
Effectiveness of Respiratory Protective Devices in Reducing Influenza Outbreak - barry-cotter
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30229968/
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barry-cotter
The more people who wear masks the slower respiratory infections spread. The
faster we get to universal mask wearing the fewer people will die.

> In this article, a risk assessment model previously developed in general
> form was used to estimate the effectiveness of different types of protective
> equipment in reducing the rate of infection in an influenza outbreak. It was
> found that a 50% compliance in donning the device resulted in a significant
> (at least 50% prevalence and 20% cumulative incidence) reduction in risk for
> fitted and unfitted N95 respirators, high-filtration surgical masks, and
> both low-filtration and high-filtration pediatric masks. An 80% compliance
> rate essentially eliminated the influenza outbreak. The results of the
> present study, as well as the application of the model to related influenza
> scenarios, are potentially useful to public health officials in decisions
> involving resource allocation or education strategies.

[https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/12395606382398382...](https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/1239560638239838215?s=21)

> I’m a virologist. Public should know covid exposure dose matters. We have to
> conserve masks for healthcare workers, but masks can help anyone, reducing
> amount of virus released (even by breathing) or taken in. Immune system is
> more effective if infection starts w/ low dose.

> Keeping the exposure dose to a minimum means that virus has to divide many
> more times before getting to high levels... but immune system starts
> responding and therefore can flatten the curve, keeping the peak viral load
> lower, so it does less damage (fewer symptoms).

> That won’t help everyone. For various reasons, whether genetics,
> immunosuppressive medications, or underlying conditions, even low exposure
> levels will climb to high, dangerous levels. But on the whole, keeping
> everyone’s exposure dose down (if exposed) could save lives.

