Facemask use in community settings to prevent respiratory infection transmission: A rapid review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Synthesis of the available evidence on the effectiveness of medical and cloth facemask use by the general public in community settings is required to learn lessons for future respiratory epidemics/pandemics.

Method

Search terms relating to facemasks, infection and community settings were used for PubMed, the Cochrane Library Database and Google Scholar. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model.

Results

The review included 12 primary studies on the effectiveness of medical facemask use to prevent influenza, influenza-like illness, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The meta-analysis demonstrated that facemask use significantly reduces the risk of transmitting these respiratory infections (pooled OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.54-0.81). Of the 12

SUBMITTER: Chaabna K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7518963 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature