Mask not enough, social distancing also needed

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/uov-ns011421.php

 

News Release 14-Jan-2021
New study: Without right messaging, masks could lead to more COVID-19 spread
University of Vermont

 

A novel new study suggests that the behavior public officials are now mandating or recommending unequivocally to slow the spread of surging COVID-19--wearing a face covering--should come with a caveat. If not accompanied by proper public education, the practice could lead to more infections.


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he study combines survey data gathered from adults living in northwestern Vermont with test results that showed whether a subset of them had contracted COVID-19, a dual research approach that few COVID studies have employed. By correlating the two data sets, researchers were able to determine what behaviors and circumstances increased respondents' risk of becoming sick.

The key risk factor driving transmission of the disease, the study found, was the number of daily contacts participants had with other adults and seniors.

That had relevance for two other findings.

Those who wore masks had more of these daily contacts compared with those who didn't, and a higher proportion contracted the virus as a result.

Basic human psychology could be at work, said Eline van den Broek-Altenburg, an assistant professor and vice chair for Population Health Science in the Department of Radiology at the Larner College of Medicine and the study's principal investigator.

"When you wear a mask, you may have a deceptive sense of being protected and have more interactions with other people," she said.

The public health implications are clear. "Messaging that people need to wear a mask is essential, but insufficient," she said. "It should go hand in hand with education that masks don't give you a free pass to see as many people as you want. You still need to strictly limit your contacts."

Public education messaging should make clear how to wear a mask safely to limit infection, van den Broek-Altenburg added.

The study also found that participants' living environment determined how many contacts they had and affected their probability of becoming infected. A higher proportion of those living in apartments were infected with the virus compared with those who lived in single family homes.

"If you live in an apartment, you're going to see more people on a daily basis than if you live in a single family home, so you need to be as vigilant about social distancing," van den Broek-Altenburg said.

The study controlled for profession to prevent essential workers, who by definition have more contacts and are usually required to wear masks, from skewing the results.

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