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The Association between Wearing a Mask and COVID-19

Author

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  • Mana Sugimura

    (Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

  • Odgerel Chimed-Ochir

    (Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

  • Yui Yumiya

    (Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

  • Hiroki Ohge

    (Department of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan)

  • Nobuaki Shime

    (Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan)

  • Takemasa Sakaguchi

    (Department of Virology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

  • Junko Tanaka

    (Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

  • Toshiro Takafuta

    (Hiroshima City Funairi Citizens Hospital, Hiroshima 730-0844, Japan)

  • Michi Mimori

    (Hiroshima City Health and Welfare Bureau, Hiroshima 730-8586, Japan)

  • Masao Kuwabara

    (Hiroshima Prefectural Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hiroshima 730-8511, Japan)

  • Toshimasa Asahara

    (Hiroshima Prefectural Health and Welfare Bureau, Hiroshima 730-8511, Japan)

  • Eisaku Kishita

    (Hiroshima Prefectural Health and Welfare Bureau, Hiroshima 730-8511, Japan)

  • Tatsuhiko Kubo

    (Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan)

Abstract

With the widespread and increasing number of cases of Coronavirus Disease (2019) globally, countries have been taking preventive measures against this pandemic. However, there is no universal agreement across cultures on whether wearing face masks are an effective physical intervention against disease transmission. We investigated the relationship between mask wearing and COVID-19 among close contacts of COVID-19 patients in the Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. In the Hiroshima Prefecture, a COVID-19 form adapted from the reporting form, “Japanese Surveillance in Post-Extreme Emergencies and Disasters”, was developed to collect data from COVID-19 patients’ close contacts under active epidemiological surveillance at Public Health Centers. The relative risk of COVID-19 for mask users versus non-mask users was calculated. A total of 820 interviewees were included in the analysis and 53.3% of them responded that they wore masks. Non-mask users were infected at a rate of 16.4%, while mask users were infected at a rate of 7.1%. Those who wore masks were infected at a rate of 0.4 times that of those who did not wear masks. (RR = 0.4, 95%CI = 0.3–0.6; Adjusted RR = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.3–0.9). These findings implied that COVID-19 could be avoided to a certain degree by wearing a mask.

Suggested Citation

  • Mana Sugimura & Odgerel Chimed-Ochir & Yui Yumiya & Hiroki Ohge & Nobuaki Shime & Takemasa Sakaguchi & Junko Tanaka & Toshiro Takafuta & Michi Mimori & Masao Kuwabara & Toshimasa Asahara & Eisaku Kish, 2021. "The Association between Wearing a Mask and COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-7, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9131-:d:625039
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mitze, Timo & Kosfeld, Reinhold & Rode, Johannes & Wälde, Klaus, 2020. "Face masks considerably reduce COVID-19 cases in Germany," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 124130, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
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    Cited by:

    1. Daiki Yamaguchi & Odgerel Chimed-Ochir & Yui Yumiya & Eisaku Kishita & Tomoyuki Akita & Junko Tanaka & Tatsuhiko Kubo, 2024. "Potential Risk Factors to COVID-19 Severity: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Delta- and Omicron-Dominant Periods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Lai-Yin Qin, 2023. "A Comparison of the Effect of Facemasks on Perceived Breathability and Air Quality during Daily Activities and Indoor Exercises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-10, February.
    3. Zhiyuan Zheng & Chengyao Liang & Zhuoyang Li & Yugao Wu & Baixue Lin & Jing Fang, 2022. "Mask-Wearing and Handwashing Behaviors of Chinese Rural Residents during the Pandemic of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Bernhard Hommel & Christian Beste, 2021. "Towards an Ideology-Free, Truly Mechanistic Health Psychology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-10, October.
    5. Martina Luskova, 2024. "The Effect of Face Masks on Covid Transmission: A Meta-Analysis," Working Papers IES 2024/2, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised Jan 2024.

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