One new study has shown that, in places where state and local governments require mask use, fewer people end up in hospital with coronavirus. A second time, college students at least overwhelmingly wore masks when there was a mandate.
Growth in hospitalization fell by 5.5 percentage points among 18- to 64-year-olds in locations in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Oregon, the CDC’s team said. weekly report said. .
The premises began to see a significant decrease in hospitalization rates among 40- to 64-year-olds less than three weeks after the mandates were implemented. In addition to three weeks, the decrease was seen in 18- to 64-year-olds.
“Because COVID-19 can lead to long-term illness and require long-term treatment, the expected savings associated with the reduction in hospitalization rates may be much higher than these reduced hospital costs associated with COVID-19,” they write.
The team noted that the study did not check on other factors that could influence hospitalization rates.
But they said their findings support community masking to reduce the transmission and hospitalization of Covid-19, noting that the practice is likely to have a direct effect on coronavirus-related diseases and death.
States and jurisdictions have individually implemented mask mandates at various points in the coronavirus pandemic. Elected President Joe Biden’s first executive order after taking office last month was to require mask use on federal property. He later extended the mandate to most forms of public transport.
In an effort to reduce the transmission of coronavirus on campus, some universities have also told their students and faculty that they should wear masks.
Mandates for university mask
The correct use of the mask depends on the type of mask worn. People who wore N95 masks, cloth masks or surgical masks wore their mask correctly more than 90% of the time. People who wear bandanas, scarves or similar face masks wore their masks correctly just less than 80% of the time.
The CDC team monitored and recorded more than 17,000 people at universities and surrounding communities who could not achieve the use of indoor mask and outdoor mask as social distance.
They found that mask use at these universities was “significantly more common indoors than outdoors.” More than 90% of people wore some form of face mask. It dropped to 67% outdoors.
People were slightly more accommodating on campus. The use of indoor masks off campus uses only four percentage points on the indoor mask, but has remained more than 90% in both environments. “
The team suggests that universities conduct their own observational research on mask compliance to improve their safety messages and policies.
“These data provide evidence that compliance with university mask mandates is high,” the researchers wrote. “Mask commands have been shown to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 transmission of cases, and mask use has been widespread to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.”