Face mask trial didn’t stop coronavirus spread, but it shows why more mask-wearing is needed
4 years, 1 month ago

Face mask trial didn’t stop coronavirus spread, but it shows why more mask-wearing is needed

LA Times  

Commuters wear face masks at Union Station in Los Angeles. “The results of this trial should motivate widespread mask wearing to protect our communities and thereby ourselves.” It’s not as if there’s no reason to believe masks can prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Use of face masks has emerged as a powerful tool to reduce the health and economic harms of the pandemic,” Dr. Thomas Frieden, a former CDC director who now leads the nonprofit health initiative Resolve to Save Lives, and his colleague Dr. Shama Cash-Goldwasser wrote in a commentary that accompanied the study. Only 46% of volunteers in the mask group told the researchers they followed all the rules about wearing masks in public, 47% said they “predominantly” wore their masks, and 7% said they didn’t follow the rules. In other words, the journal editors noted, “the study examined the effect of recommending mask use, not the effect of actually wearing them.” There’s also the possibility that people who wore masks felt a false sense of security and let down their guard in other ways that increased their risk of infection.

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History of this topic

Biden has COVID-19 and didn’t wear a mask. The CDC’s guidelines say he doesn’t have to
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Biden has COVID-19 and didn’t wear a mask. The CDC’s guidelines say he doesn’t have to

Associated Press  

— President Joe Biden did not wear a face mask in public a couple of times after the White House announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. The White House said the Democratic incumbent was experiencing “mild” symptoms while the president’s physician said Biden would self-isolate “in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals.” What does the CDC guidance say? …

I'm an A&E doctor and this is why it's time to start wearing masks again... as experts issue dire warnings over a virulent new Covid variant
1 year ago

I'm an A&E doctor and this is why it's time to start wearing masks again... as experts issue dire warnings over a virulent new Covid variant

Daily Mail  

It’s that time again. Dr Saleyha Ahsan says she always wears a mask in crowded places Now one of the UK’s leading experts, Sir Andrew Pollard, who is a professor of infection and immunity at the University of Oxford, is predicting ‘a rise in infections in the population over the course of the next week’, driven by a highly infectious …

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.
1 year, 4 months ago

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.

LA Times  

Despite rising coronavirus outbreaks across Los Angeles County, officials said they have no plans for new public mask mandates — a sign of how COVID-19 policies have changed in an era of plentiful vaccines, lower death rates and back-to-normal culture. “We have such good tools right now that we really shouldn’t get there.” California COVID outbreaks hit workplaces, schools across …

Dr Fauci refutes study claiming that masks don’t work as Covid concerns rise
1 year, 4 months ago

Dr Fauci refutes study claiming that masks don’t work as Covid concerns rise

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I am concerned that people will not abide by recommendations—and we’re not talking about mandates …

Return of masks? COVID-19 cases surge; new variant ‘Pirola’ causes concern
1 year, 4 months ago

Return of masks? COVID-19 cases surge; new variant ‘Pirola’ causes concern

Live Mint  

COVID-19 cases in the United States have surged to levels reminiscent of the peak experienced last winter, causing concerns over the emergence of a new highly mutated variant known as "Pirola" BA.2.86 and the impending respiratory virus season. Dr. Georges Benjamin, the Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, highlights that masking remains a potent tool for mitigating COVID-19 …

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?
1 year, 4 months ago

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?

The Hindu  

One thing that can be guaranteed about COVID-19 is that evolution will provide us with a more or less constant stream of new coronavirus variants, some of which will be more successful at infecting people. It’s this worry that there may be a new wave of infections that has got some people talking about the need to reintroduce measures that …

Without other pandemic precautions, hospital mask rules didn’t stop COVID spread, study finds
1 year, 9 months ago

Without other pandemic precautions, hospital mask rules didn’t stop COVID spread, study finds

LA Times  

In a world moving on from the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and medical offices have been the last bastions of mandatory masking. But new research finds that in communities where pandemic precautions have been largely abandoned, mask mandates in healthcare settings do little to prevent coronavirus infections among patients. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to recommend indoor …

Column: COVID lab leak? Mask mandates? Why are we still having these fights?
1 year, 10 months ago

Column: COVID lab leak? Mask mandates? Why are we still having these fights?

LA Times  

On Monday, the White House announced there is no consensus in the Biden administration about whether COVID-19 sprang from a leak in a virus laboratory in China or was the result of a leap from another species to humans. I reserve my anger for the way the government under former President Trump bungled its response to the disease, the way …

Column: COVID deniers claim a new study says mask mandates don’t work. They should try reading it
1 year, 10 months ago

Column: COVID deniers claim a new study says mask mandates don’t work. They should try reading it

LA Times  

What is it about conservative COVID deniers and masks? Assuming he bothered to read the study all the way through, he seems to have missed this important admonition in the text: “The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions.” Something else he …

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals
1 year, 10 months ago

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals

Live Mint  

Face masks have done ‘little to nothing’ to curb the Covid-19 transmission, a new scientific review titled “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses” suggested. It conducted research on the findings of 78 randomized controlled trials to find out whether the physical interventions, including face masks and hand wash, limited the spread of respiratory diseases. “Wearing …

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests
1 year, 10 months ago

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests

India TV News  

A new review led by 12 researchers from universities around the world has examined whether wearing face masks helped prevent the spread of Covid-19. According to the study published by the Cochrane Library, "Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference" in controlling the spread of Covid-19. However, it's important to note that the review included studies …

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels
2 years ago

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels

LA Times  

With COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory diseases circulating widely in Los Angeles County and elsewhere, many officials are urging residents to use a familiar tool to help thwart transmission: masks. As case rates rise, “your chance of catching COVID during your routine activities — grocery shopping, eating out, running errands, going to work — will increase,” according to Los …

Done with masks? Too bad, because COVID isn't done with us
2 years, 1 month ago

Done with masks? Too bad, because COVID isn't done with us

LA Times  

I’m Paul Thornton, and it is Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. I don’t know how else to respond, but what I have noticed is that people who would just rather not wear masks cite the disclaimers, caveats and qualifiers mentioned by highly regarded scientists such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and run with them — while ignoring that these experts strenuously favor …

A new L.A. mask mandate would have less value at this stage of the pandemic, some experts say
2 years, 5 months ago

A new L.A. mask mandate would have less value at this stage of the pandemic, some experts say

LA Times  

As successive waves of COVID-19 have swept across the Southland, Michael Matteo Rossi, a 35 year-old filmmaker who lives in Los Feliz, has gamely masked up whenever he shopped, ate out or visited with his parents, who are in their 70s. Barbara Ferrer, director of L.A. County Department of Health, announced plans to reinstate an indoor mask mandate if the …

With COVID surging, Los Angeles may soon require masks
2 years, 5 months ago

With COVID surging, Los Angeles may soon require masks

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Nick Barragan is used to wearing a mask because his job in the Hollywood film industry has long required it. “We’re asking you to take a sensible step, when there’s this much transmission with a highly transmissible variant, to go ahead and put back on a well fitting high-filtration mask when you’re indoors around others.” Nationwide, the …

With California hit by new coronavirus wave, time to start wearing masks? Limit gatherings?
2 years, 7 months ago

With California hit by new coronavirus wave, time to start wearing masks? Limit gatherings?

LA Times  

As California contends with another resurgence of the coronavirus, what should residents consider doing to protect themselves from infection? “With all of the unknowns around these new variants, it is sensible to take the simple step of putting back on the mask when you’re indoors,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director. But regardless of a region’s level, “individuals …

A third of US should be considering masks, officials say
2 years, 7 months ago

A third of US should be considering masks, officials say

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — COVID-19 cases are increasing in the United States — and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday in urging areas hardest hit to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. “Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC …

A third of U.S. should be considering masks, officials say
2 years, 7 months ago

A third of U.S. should be considering masks, officials say

LA Times  

Coronavirus infections are on the rise in the United States and could get even worse over the coming months, federal health officials warned Wednesday as they urged the hardest-hit areas to consider reissuing calls for indoor masking. “Prior increases of infections, in different waves of infection, have demonstrated that this travels across the country,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, …

What Should You Do If Someone Confronts You About Wearing A Mask?
2 years, 8 months ago

What Should You Do If Someone Confronts You About Wearing A Mask?

Huff Post  

Malte Mueller via Getty Images If you’re concerned about dealing with unpleasant remarks about your mask-wearing, experts we spoke to have advice. “Walking home just now, three men yelled, ‘Coronavirus is over’ at me because I was wearing a mask and then proceeded to make ‘Chinese sounds,’” Hsieh Chou wrote. “That’s when you get people feeling compelled to comment or …

EXPLAINED: What Happens in the Post-Mask World of Travel?
2 years, 8 months ago

EXPLAINED: What Happens in the Post-Mask World of Travel?

News 18  

A ruling by a US federal judge has ended — at least for now — the requirement that people wear masks on planes and public transportation, and there is plenty of confusion about the new, post-mask world of travel. In a 59-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, Florida, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and …

CDC extends travel mask requirement to May 3 as COVID rises in US
2 years, 8 months ago

CDC extends travel mask requirement to May 3 as COVID rises in US

Al Jazeera  

Omicron subvariant BA.2 infections increase as US approaches one million deaths in the coronavirus pandemic. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it is extending the nationwide mask requirement for public transit and air travel for 15 days as it monitors an increase in COVID-19 cases in the United States. Airlines for America, a trade group, on Wednesday in a …

CDC to extend travel mask requirement for 2 weeks, source says
2 years, 8 months ago

CDC to extend travel mask requirement for 2 weeks, source says

LA Times  

The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in coronavirus cases, according to a person familiar with the matter. Critics have seized on the fact that states have rolled back rules requiring masks in restaurants, stores and other indoor settings, and yet coronavirus cases have fallen sharply since …

Opponents of vaccine requirements gather for ‘Defeat the Mandates’ rally in L.A.
2 years, 9 months ago

Opponents of vaccine requirements gather for ‘Defeat the Mandates’ rally in L.A.

LA Times  

More than a thousand people opposed to vaccine mandates rallied in Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall on Sunday, waving American flags and holding signs with such messages as “Defeat the Mandates” and “Reclaim Your Divinity.” One musical act drew cheers while performing a song with the chorus “this is a war on religion.” A slew of …

More coronavirus rules may go, despite rise in new infections: AD
2 years, 10 months ago

More coronavirus rules may go, despite rise in new infections: AD

Dutch News  

Government health advisors on the Outbreak Management Team will meet at the end of this week to discuss lifting the final coronavirus restrictions in operation in the Netherlands. The number of new coronavirus cases reached a three-week high at the weekend, following the Carnaval celebrations and the February half-term holidays and the number of new infections hit almost 67,000 in …

More coronavirus rules may go, despite rise in new infections: AD
2 years, 10 months ago

More coronavirus rules may go, despite rise in new infections: AD

Dutch News  

Government health advisors on the Outbreak Management Team will meet at the end of this week to discuss lifting the final coronavirus restrictions in operation in the Netherlands. The number of new coronavirus cases reached a three-week high at the weekend, following the Carnaval celebrations and the February half-term holidays and the number of new infections hit almost 67,000 in …

Coronavirus Today: To mask or not to mask
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus Today: To mask or not to mask

LA Times  

I’m Karen Kaplan, and it’s Tuesday, March 1. Either way, Dr. Mark Ghaly, California’s health and human services secretary, wants you to know that the decision was “driven by the data and the science.” That includes coronavirus case numbers, which are now averaging about 33,000 cases per day. The new state rules come with an important caveat: Local health officials …

Washington officials to assess new mask guidance from CDC
2 years, 10 months ago

Washington officials to assess new mask guidance from CDC

Associated Press  

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington’s March 21 date to lift the statewide mask mandate remains in place for now as state officials review new guidance Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that says people in most places can safely take a break from wearing facial coverings. Jay Inslee, said in an email Friday that the office has not …

Florida’s new coronavirus guidance: ‘Buck the CDC’
2 years, 10 months ago

Florida’s new coronavirus guidance: ‘Buck the CDC’

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo on Thursday announced new coronavirus policy recommendations that discourage mask-wearing and push physicians to use off-label medications to treat the virus. “We are empowering health care practitioners to follow science, not Fauci’s status quo.” The announcement came a day before President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to …

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday
2 years, 10 months ago

CDC to significantly ease pandemic mask guidelines Friday

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration will significantly loosen federal mask-wearing guidelines to protect against COVID-19 transmission on Friday, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning most Americans will no longer be advised to wear masks in indoor public settings. The change comes as nearly all U.S. states that had put in place indoor mask-wearing mandates for the winter …

Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful?
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. With mask mandates going away, is that helpful?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a one-way masker. Sponsor Message So a number of people are "one-way maskers" — the terms used for those who mask up even if others around them do not. "One-way masking isn't doing that," says Kristen Coleman, an assistant research professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. "It just means that it doesn't offer …

CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in many parts of the country
2 years, 10 months ago

CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in many parts of the country

NPR  

CDC says Americans can now go unmasked in many parts of the country The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday it is relaxing its mask guidance for communities where hospitals aren't under high strain. Enlarge this image toggle caption Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images "As the virus continues to …

Federal health officials say they will soon update COVID-19 masking guidance
2 years, 10 months ago

Federal health officials say they will soon update COVID-19 masking guidance

LA Times  

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, shown testifying before Congress in November, told reporters on Wednesday that her agency would soon issue new guidance on mask-wearing. Federal health officials said Wednesday that they will soon update their guidance on mask wearing, even as several states have recently dialed back mandates requiring people to wear face coverings while indoors. In a White …

5 Things COVID Experts Need To See Before They'll Go Maskless At The Office
2 years, 10 months ago

5 Things COVID Experts Need To See Before They'll Go Maskless At The Office

Huff Post  

Catherine McQueen via Getty Images COVID experts say they'll consider several factors before going without a mask in the office. This week, the governors of nearly a dozen states, including California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey, said they would soon lift or loosen indoor mask mandates, citing COVID-19 vaccination rates, “the extremely low risk for young people” and …

COVID conflict: Democratic governors skip ahead of Biden and CDC on easing mask mandates
2 years, 10 months ago

COVID conflict: Democratic governors skip ahead of Biden and CDC on easing mask mandates

LA Times  

Kathy Hochul listens as President Biden speaks during a meeting with the National Governors Assn. “Governors are picking up on a sense that voters simply won’t tolerate mask mandates any longer,” said Julia Lynch, a political scientist at the University of Pennsylvania. The administration continues to recommend indoor masking in areas of high transmission, which, according to White House Press …

Biden administration cautions that rolling back mask restrictions are premature
2 years, 11 months ago

Biden administration cautions that rolling back mask restrictions are premature

NPR  

Biden administration cautions that rolling back mask restrictions are premature A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: I'll be flying back home to California soon. MARTÍNEZ: We're going to take the next few minutes to dig in - first to the politics with NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson, and then to what this all means for schoolkids with NPR education correspondent Anya Kamenetz. …

California will lift mask mandate for vaccinated residents in indoor public places next week
2 years, 11 months ago

California will lift mask mandate for vaccinated residents in indoor public places next week

LA Times  

Masks will still be required for unvaccinated residents indoors and for everyone in select settings such as hospitals and nursing homes or while aboard public transit. With the Omicron coronavirus surge rapidly receding, California will lift its universal mask mandate for indoor public places next week, state officials announced Monday. While this move doesn’t mean face coverings will be a …

Fox News guests use questionable lockdown study to launch misleading attacks on masks, vaccines
2 years, 11 months ago

Fox News guests use questionable lockdown study to launch misleading attacks on masks, vaccines

Salon  

UPDATED: This story was updated at 2:20pm to include commentary on the Studies in Applied Economics whitepaper from scientists at the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis in London. Experts are tired of debunking him The study was published in a publication called Studies in Applied Economics, which is not a peer-reviewed journal and describes itself as a "series …

Covid: How well do face masks protect us against the virus?
2 years, 11 months ago

Covid: How well do face masks protect us against the virus?

The Independent  

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. …

Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week
2 years, 11 months ago

Biden to give away 400 million N95 masks starting next week

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration will begin making 400 million N95 masks available for free to U.S. residents starting next week, now that federal officials are emphasizing their better protection against the omicron variant of COVID-19 over cloth face coverings. President Joe Biden embraced the initiative after facing mounting criticism this month over the inaccessibility — both in supply and …

CDC Acknowledges Cloth Masks Are Less Effective Than Others
2 years, 11 months ago

CDC Acknowledges Cloth Masks Are Less Effective Than Others

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conceded Friday that cloth masks are less effective than surgical or respirator masks as protection against COVID-19. “Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators offer the highest level …

Biden says his administration will make free high-quality face masks available to all Americans
2 years, 11 months ago

Biden says his administration will make free high-quality face masks available to all Americans

CNN  

Washington CNN — President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his administration would make “high-quality masks” available to Americans for free, as the US struggles to contain the new surge of the Omicron variant and hospitalizations from Covid-19 reach new highs. “I know we all wish could finally be done with wearing masks, I get it, but they are a really …

'What about the general public?': Members of Congress to get KN95 masks amid Omicron wave
2 years, 11 months ago

'What about the general public?': Members of Congress to get KN95 masks amid Omicron wave

Raw Story  

With Capitol Hill—like much of the United States—experiencing a major spike in Covid-19 cases, members of Congress and their offices are reportedly set to receive KN95 masks to help stem the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant. According to an email sent to House staffers last week and obtained by the Washington Post, "The Chief Administrative Officer has updated …

CDC recommends shorter coronavirus isolation, quarantine for all
3 years ago

CDC recommends shorter coronavirus isolation, quarantine for all

LA Times  

A middle school principal walks the empty halls of his school as he speaks with one of his teachers to get an update on her COVID-19 symptoms. U.S. health officials on Monday cut isolation restrictions for Americans infected with the coronavirus from 10 to five days, and similarly shortened the time that close contacts of infected people need to quarantine. …

2021: The year of the mask
3 years, 1 month ago

2021: The year of the mask

BBC  

2021: The year of the mask Edgar Su/Reuters/Getty Images As the world entered its second full year of the coronavirus pandemic, masks became a ubiquitous sight, from sports stadiums to the highest political offices. Christopeh Simon/AFP/Getty Images Female guest in cowboy hat and mask Cultural shift Masks were even seen on the most exclusive of red carpets, such as the …

Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules
3 years, 2 months ago

Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules

Dutch News  

The Netherlands is bringing in new measures to control coronavirus in a bid to reverse the sharp rise in new cases, and tougher rules are also in the pipeline if there is no improvement. The new plans were outlined by ministers at a press conference on Tuesday evening, shortly after officials raised the risk level to ‘severe’ now that the …

Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules
3 years, 2 months ago

Face masks are back, more working at home, as Dutch bring back anti-Covid rules

Dutch News  

The Netherlands is bringing in new measures to control coronavirus in a bid to reverse the sharp rise in new cases, and tougher rules are also in the pipeline if there is no improvement. The new plans were outlined by ministers at a press conference on Tuesday evening, shortly after officials raised the risk level to ‘severe’ now that the …

Dutch government poised to bring back masks and broaden 'test for entry'
3 years, 2 months ago

Dutch government poised to bring back masks and broaden 'test for entry'

Dutch News  

Face masks are set to return and the ‘test for entry’ system will be extended to gyms, swimming pools and museums when the government announces new coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, according to sources. The government will also urge people to revert to working from home 50% of the time, a month after social distancing was formally abolished and the work …

Dutch government poised to bring back masks and broaden 'test for entry'
3 years, 2 months ago

Dutch government poised to bring back masks and broaden 'test for entry'

Dutch News  

Face masks are set to return and the ‘test for entry’ system will be extended to gyms, swimming pools and museums when the government announces new coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, according to sources. The government will also urge people to revert to working from home 50% of the time, a month after social distancing was formally abolished and the work …

Jacob Rees-Mogg and Therese Coffey among unmasked on Tory frontbench during Budget
3 years, 2 months ago

Jacob Rees-Mogg and Therese Coffey among unmasked on Tory frontbench during Budget

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. While Boris Johnson did not wear a face mask during Prime Minister’s Questions earlier on …

Facemasks on public transport should stay, says health minister
3 years, 3 months ago

Facemasks on public transport should stay, says health minister

Dutch News  

Caretaker health minister Hugo de Jonge has said facemasks on public transport should not be scrapped because the danger to vulnerable people would be too great. Last week, Dutch rail director Marjan Rintel said obligatory mask wearing on public transport is becoming ‘difficult to explain’ when people are told to wear masks on the train but not at a shopping …

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