Largest study of its kind finds face masks reduce COVID-19

[gargamon]

https://news.berkeley.edu/story_jump/largest-study-of-its-kind-finds-face-masks-reduce-covid-19/

 

Wearing face masks, particularly surgical masks, is truly effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in community settings, finds a new study led by researchers from Yale University, Stanford Medical School, the University of California, Berkeley, and the nonprofit Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).

 

The study, which was carried out among more than 340,000 adults living in 600 rural communities in Bangladesh, is the first randomized trial to examine the effectiveness of face masks at reducing COVID-19 in a real-world setting, where mask use may be imperfect and inconsistent.

 

The results show that increased mask-wearing –– the result of a community-level mask distribution and in-person promotion campaign –– led to a significant reduction in the percentage of people with COVID-19, based on symptom reporting and SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing. The team tested both cloth and surgical masks and found especially strong evidence that surgical masks are effective in preventing COVID-19. In the study, surgical masks prevented one in three symptomatic infections among community members 60 years and older.

[internationalism]

yes, this research is the largest, yet. I think the main purpose was to educate villagers on mask wearing.

But that's one is of thousands tests around the world since pandemic has starter. And many more research was done for over a hundred years, since masks were already used during spanish flu. Also Bangladesh was not affected much by covid, deaths per million are only slightly larger, than in Thailand. The world average is 4x higher, with Peru 40x higher.

 

Rural communities in Bangladesh is a poor representative of what communities are affected the most. It's large cities, like new york, bangkok, with very high density. People commuting to work, schools by public transport, eating out, shopping, social events. Living in multistory tower blocks. And those very same people travelling large distances to the other provinces, abroad and doing intercontinental travel. 

The danger is not a local hotspot, which won't spread and will fizzle out over time, but mutations crossing borders.

 

As to masks, now, since delta came to thailand, many people started to wear more than one mask. I do wear 2. Probably yet another one would also help. I am not a fan of surgical masks, they are too flimsy, don't fit to nose, move around even when not talking. But they are the cheapest.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by internationalism

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, internationalism said:

yes, this research is the largest, yet. I think the main purpose was to educate villagers on mask wearing.

But that's one is of thousands tests around the world since pandemic has starter. And many more research was done for over a hundred years, since masks were already used during spanish flu. Also Bangladesh was not affected much by covid, deaths per million are only slightly larger, than in Thailand. The world average is 4x higher, with Peru 40x higher.

 

Rural communities in Bangladesh is a poor representative of what communities are affected the most. It's large cities, like new york, bangkok, with very high density. People commuting to work, schools by public transport, eating out, shopping, social events. Living in multistory tower blocks. And those very same people travelling large distances to the other provinces, abroad and doing intercontinental travel. 

The danger is not a local hotspot, which won't spread and will fizzle out over time, but mutations crossing borders.

 

As to masks, now, since delta came to thailand, many people started to wear more than one mask. I do wear 2. Probably yet another one would also help. I am not a fan of surgical masks, they are too flimsy, don't fit to nose, move around even when not talking. But they are the cheapest.

 

 

Apart from geographicaly very small countries like Singapore, Malta, etc the most densely populated country in the world is Bangladesh.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/264683/top-fifty-countries-with-the-highest-population-density/

Edited September 6, 2021 by placeholder

[Jeffr2]

The anti mask crowd won't like this. LOL

[internationalism]

yes, new york, bangkok, the other world metropolis can be compared in density to city-states as singapore, monaco, makao.

Villagers live in detached houses (traditionally in raw of houses, but still large and private), they walk to their field behind the village and spend all day cultivating plants, with food taken from home. They might not encounter anybody there for the whole day.

Density in 22 mln Dhaka is 20x higher that Bangladeshi average. But there are also the other multi million cities. Remote countryside might be just a few hundred per sq km. It's large, but tens times less, than cities. Bangladesh is still agricultural country, as oppose to industrialised countries with large cities and highly mobile population (even those travelling hundreds km per day to and from work)

[Jeffr2]

7 minutes ago, internationalism said:

yes, new york, bangkok, the other world metropolis can be compared in density to city-states as singapore, monaco, makao.

Villagers live in detached houses (traditionally in raw of houses, but still large and private), they walk to their field behind the village and spend all day cultivating plants, with food taken from home. They might not encounter anybody there for the whole day.

Density in 22 mln Dhaka is 20x higher that Bangladeshi average. But there are also the other multi million cities. Remote countryside might be just a few hundred per sq km. It's large, but tens times less, than cities. Bangladesh is still agricultural country, as oppose to industrialised countries with large cities and highly mobile population (even those travelling hundreds km per day to and from work)

I spent a month in Bangladesh. Traveling all over independently.

 

Houses are packed with many sleeping on the floor right next to each other. The capitol city is one of the most densely populated areas I've seen.

 

Train rides are insanely packed. As is pretty much every mode of transportation.

[placeholder]

9 hours ago, internationalism said:

yes, new york, bangkok, the other world metropolis can be compared in density to city-states as singapore, monaco, makao.

Villagers live in detached houses (traditionally in raw of houses, but still large and private), they walk to their field behind the village and spend all day cultivating plants, with food taken from home. They might not encounter anybody there for the whole day.

Density in 22 mln Dhaka is 20x higher that Bangladeshi average. But there are also the other multi million cities. Remote countryside might be just a few hundred per sq km. It's large, but tens times less, than cities. Bangladesh is still agricultural country, as oppose to industrialised countries with large cities and highly mobile population (even those travelling hundreds km per day to and from work)

People live in extended families in Bangladesh. And being Muslims they regularly attend mosques, not a great place to avoid infection. And finally, these scientists come from some of the leading Universities in the world. Ya think, they don't take the factors you've cited into account? Do you believe that they are trying to perpetrate some kind of fraud?

[Destiny1990]

Yes so these cheap, and often old worn out face masks that everybody wears are totally ineffective. Better practice social distancing 1,5 meters.

[Ralf001]

22 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Yes so these cheap, and often old worn out face masks that everybody wears are totally ineffective. Better practice social distancing 1,5 meters.

I buy a box of 100 for Bt.69.00.

 

Surely they are top quality surgical masks.... or is the print on the box telling porky pies ?

 

They are good for two days of usage, turn it inside out on the second day.

 

[Maha Sarakham]

16 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

They are good for two days of usage, turn it inside out on the second day.

Please don't do this.

[Ralf001]

1 minute ago, Maha Sarakham said:

Please don't do this.

Its called getting value for money.

[runamok27]

The biggest problem with this study is that the vast majority of folks are not wearing proper surgical masks. I bought some nice medical grade 5 layer surgical masks and they are nothing like the masks I see nearly everyone else wearing and masks I used to wear. Most masks for sale out there are garbage. Not to mention that most people are not wearing the masks correctly. 

[gk10012001]

Sorry but the article does not state over how much time the study was conducted.  No doubt masks reduce the rate of spreading, but in the long run no information as to the final number of cases.  Since masks themselves advertise percentages of particles they pass, over time, the number of viral particles they pass increases

[Catoni]

Okay folks….that’s it. We all wear face condoms for the next 500 years. Vaccinations or no vaccinations.  Doesn’t matter. 
  Can’t get over the level of paranoia people have. 
Somebody or group of people is gaining from this. Big time.

I bought a small amount of stock in face mask companies and in Pfizer and Moderna and AstraZeneca mid last year. AstraZeneca dropped a bit today. But the others doing well. ????????????

Edited September 7, 2021 by Catoni
Addition

[placeholder]

51 minutes ago, runamok27 said:

The biggest problem with this study is that the vast majority of folks are not wearing proper surgical masks. I bought some nice medical grade 5 layer surgical masks and they are nothing like the masks I see nearly everyone else wearing and masks I used to wear. Most masks for sale out there are garbage. Not to mention that most people are not wearing the masks correctly. 

Do you understand that there was a significant difference between the group that wore masks and the group that didn't?  If in fact there as a difference despite the fact that the masks were not up to standard, that would actually be even stronger evidence in favor of masking.

[placeholder]

46 minutes ago, gk10012001 said:

Sorry but the article does not state over how much time the study was conducted.  No doubt masks reduce the rate of spreading, but in the long run no information as to the final number of cases.  Since masks themselves advertise percentages of particles they pass, over time, the number of viral particles they pass increases

The randomized controlled trial was carried out among 341,830 adults in 600 villages in rural and peri-urban areas of Bangladesh between November 2020 and April 2021.

https://www.poverty-action.org/news/new-study-first-randomized-trial-show-wearing-masks-reduces-covid-19-real-world-setting

[zzaa09]

Something else related to be obsessed with..

[TKDfella]

Well, surgical masks have been worn by hospital staff for how long? And why? So it is logical to think they'll protect you, albeit to a lesser extent outside and it isn't only protection from Covid either. Therefore more studies only tell us what we already know. The problem is convincing people, probably the same people who cover their nose and mouth when smoke or strong odours are around, that masks are indeed useful during pandemics. I have been told by people that sneezing into a handkerchief/tissue means that I carry the germs around with me and the explanation that I do it to prevent the spread of those germs seems to fall on deaf ears. Of course, masks don't protect to 100% level and how much protection depends upon the many known factors. In short, I don't think continued studies are the answer but perhaps a shorter but continued/regular form of education might be more successful.

[placeholder]

4 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Something else related to be obsessed with..

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this comment actually meant something to you. Maybe not so much to others.

[Nanaplaza666]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

I buy a box of 100 for Bt.69.00.

 

Surely they are top quality surgical masks.... or is the print on the box telling porky pies ?

 

They are good for two days of usage, turn it inside out on the second day.

 

And the breath in all the particles that are stuck on the outside , damn you should have thought about your comment before placing it . But hey you believe everything written on a box as well so i don't blame you .

[Nanaplaza666]

On 9/6/2021 at 3:58 AM, gargamon said:

surgical masks prevented one in three symptomatic infections among community members

That's not even half so for me those things are working as good as a condom with holes . If you wear a mask but still catch it they will blame it on the 66.66666% that did get thru , so wearing it or not the outcome will be the same .

[Grusa]

13 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

Well, surgical masks have been worn by hospital staff for how long? And why? So it is logical to think they'll protect you, albeit to a lesser extent outside and it isn't only protection from Covid either. Therefore more studies only tell us what we already know. The problem is convincing people, probably the same people who cover their nose and mouth when smoke or strong odours are around, that masks are indeed useful during pandemics. I have been told by people that sneezing into a handkerchief/tissue means that I carry the germs around with me and the explanation that I do it to prevent the spread of those germs seems to fall on deaf ears. Of course, masks don't protect to 100% level and how much protection depends upon the many known factors. In short, I don't think continued studies are the answer but perhaps a shorter but continued/regular form of education might be more successful.

Medical staff wear surgical masks to protect the patient from the wearer, not the other way round.

 

The victim on the table with his insides hanging out is unlikely to spread airborne vectors. The gang of robed medical staff breathing all over him, is.

[Eric Loh]

On 9/6/2021 at 8:36 AM, placeholder said:

Apart from geographicaly very small countries like Singapore, Malta, etc the most densely populated country in the world is Bangladesh.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/264683/top-fifty-countries-with-the-highest-population-density/

Singapore is aware of their vulnerability to Delta and mask wearing is mandated. Breakers of the law are taken to task and to the full extent of the court. Draconian but prudent to manage the pandemic effectively. 

 

https://mothership.sg/2021/08/benjamin-glynn-jailed/

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by Eric Loh
wrong paragraph

[wombat]

i guess it depends who's research you  read...personally i prefer my own.

[placeholder]

14 minutes ago, wombat said:

i guess it depends who's research you  read...personally i prefer my own.

Your research deserves to be published in the Journal of Advanced Infantilism 

[pattayaorganic]

3 hours ago, placeholder said:

Do you understand that there was a significant difference between the group that wore masks and the group that didn't?  If in fact there as a difference despite the fact that the masks were not up to standard, that would actually be even stronger evidence in favor of masking.

Did anyone read the actual paper? The statistical conclusion was that the absolute rate of covid infection was reduced by one person for every 1250 mask wearers. Funny the reporters don’t state this result clearly. 

[Destiny1990]

3 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Singapore is aware of their vulnerability to Delta and mask wearing is mandated. Breakers of the law are taken to task and to the full extent of the court. Draconian but prudent to manage the pandemic effectively. 

 

https://mothership.sg/2021/08/benjamin-glynn-jailed/

 

They got robots in Singapore looking for groups of people of more then 5 persons. Why don’t you live there if you believe that such silly measures will control corona.

[orchidfan]

5 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Its called getting value for money.

I bought a few good quality, white masks which are quite thick and very tight nose and face fitting.

I rotate these by leaving them soaking in a fairly strong beach/water mix overnight. 

Put out to dry the next day.

Pretty sure the bleach kills most any virus or bacteria. 

The bottle of bleach costs next to nothing. 

Just an idea. 

[Emdog]

8 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

I bought a few good quality, white masks which are quite thick and very tight nose and face fitting.

I rotate these by leaving them soaking in a fairly strong beach/water mix overnight. 

Put out to dry the next day.

Pretty sure the bleach kills most any virus or bacteria. 

The bottle of bleach costs next to nothing. 

Just an idea. 

Hydrogen peroxide in 3-1 ratio also works quite well. Virus can't live long when exposed to UV. I rotate my masks use 1 day, clean and put in the sun 2 days. Many real sites on youtube showing how to get the most out of your masks. My dear wife got me a box of 3M N95 masks and a box of the even better FFP3 masks in case I have to go into town.

[pacovl46]

Surprise, surprise! 
 

It’s so obvious, but of course there were people all along who denied it and actually still are denying the effectiveness of proper masks! 
 

Well, it’s official now!