The battle around the question, whether wearing a mask helps to protect against coronavirus, go between the "antimackers" and the law-abiding media of the protective accessory for many months. However, the latter, it seems most - in any case, in the UK. This is confirmed by polls, according to which three quarters of the British wear mandatory places, reports Daily Mail.
Nevertheless, the infection continues to spread, and in some regions England the numbers have doubled compared to April. Countries that introduced mandatory wearing masks even outdoors, such as Spain and Italy, also did not escape the second wave of COVID-19.
This paradox explains the virologist from the University of Edinburgh, Professor Paul Digard: "The main source of transmission (virus, approx. Ed.) - through liquid drops, such as cough and sneezing that send the virus through the air. COVID particles are too small to stop the mask, but they often move in larger water drops. These drops are great enough so that they can be caught by the mask. Masks can do little to stop the transmission through the air. COVID particles that are not kept in water drops, too small to stop them. "
It is also important to take into account the fact that not everyone is worn out the mask. "Even real studies are difficult in the fact that you do not know whether participants really wear a mask properly - if at all worn. Studies show that they are effective, but they need to wear correctly - the cover of the mouth and nose, "the publication of Professor Jimmy Worth from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine quotes.
"The masks are unlikely to prevent you from infecting the virus, but they are more likely to detain infected water drops overlooking your mouth," Professor Digard said.
At the same time, scientists are confident: if it were not for masks, cases of infection could be even more. Professor Digard considers laboratory studies with sufficient proof that a person in a mask is more protected than a person without it - and not always directly. For example, Italian studies have shown that wearing masks make us more likely to adhere to social distancing and other restrictions related to COVID.
"When people wear masks, they begin to better understand the surrounding and adhere to the rules," says Professor Julian Tang from Leicester University.
Ultimately, even if wearing a mask gives a little benefit, it is practically not risk. "What do you lose, put it?" - Enclosed Professor Digard.