COVID-19 Mask Usage and Social Distancing in Social Media Images: Large-scale Deep Learning Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The adoption of nonpharmaceutical interventions and their surveillance are critical for detecting and stopping possible transmission routes of COVID-19. A study of the effects of these interventions can help shape public health decisions. The efficacy of nonpharmaceutical interventions can be affected by public behaviors in events, such as protests. We examined mask use and mask fit in the United States, from social media images, especially during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, representing the first large-scale public gatherings in the pandemic.

Objective

This study assessed the use and fit of face masks and social distancing in the United States and events of large physical gatherings through public social media images from 6 cities and BLM protests.

SUBMITTER: Singh AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8768939 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature