COVID Masks
Below you will find research articles related to the potential hazards/uselessness of wearing face masks and the science of face masks. To be fully informed about your decisions.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577.full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420971/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18500410/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15340662/
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00173017
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18331781/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-35797-3
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31479137/
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577#T1
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21477136/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28039289/
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/4/e006577.long
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20584862/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22188875/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31479137/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27531371/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29855107/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29678452/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25806411/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23108786/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25858901/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5333967/
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article…
https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/54/7/789/202744
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27531371/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19216002/
https://www.cambridge.org/…/64D368496EBDE0AFCC6639CCC9D…
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/…/j.1750-2659.2011.00307.x
https://www.cmaj.ca/content/188/8/567
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/65/11/1934/4068747
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2749214
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jebm.12381
http://www.medtau.org/ice-ccm/pandemic/N95.pdf
https://www.cambridge.org/…/0921A05A69A9419C862FA2F35F8…
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/11/3/494/397025
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/…/10…/rsif.2011.0537
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/…/1471-2458…
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/…/10…/rsif.2010.0686
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12560-011-9056-7
Here are key anchor points to the extensive scientific literature that establishes that wearing surgical masks and respirators (e.g., “N95”) does not reduce the risk of contracting a verified illness:
• Jacobs, J. L. et al. (2009) “Use of surgical face masks to reduce the incidence of the common cold among health care workers in Japan: A randomized controlled trial,” American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 37, Issue 5, 417 – 419.
N95-masked health-care workers (HCW) were significantly more likely to experience headaches. Face mask use in HCW was not demonstrated to provide benefit in terms of cold symptoms or getting colds.
• Cowling, B. et al. (2010) “Face masks to prevent transmission of influenza virus: A systematic review,” Epidemiology and Infection, 138(4), 449-456. DOI:10.1017/S0950268809991658
None of the studies reviewed showed the benefit of wearing a mask in either HCW or community members in households (H). See summary Tables 1 and 2 therein.
• bin-Reza et al. (2012), “The use of masks and respirators to prevent transmission of influenza: a systematic review of the scientific evidence,” Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(4), 257-267.
“There were 17 eligible studies. […] None of the studies established a conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection against influenza infection.”
• Smith, J.D. et al. (2016) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks in protecting health care workers from acute respiratory infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis”, CMAJ Mar 2016, cmaj.150835; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.150835
“We identified 6 clinical studies …
In the meta-analysis of the clinical studies, we found no significant difference between N95 respirators and surgical masks in the associated risk of (a) laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection, (b) influenza-like illness, or (c) reported work-place absenteeism.”
• Offeddu, V. et al. (2017) “Effectiveness of Masks and Respirators Against Respiratory Infections in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 65, Issue 11, 1 December 2017, Pages 1934-1942, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/cix681
• Radonovich, L.J. et al. (2019) “N95 Respirators vs. Medical Masks for Preventing Influenza Among Health Care Personnel: A Randomized Clinical Trial”, JAMA. 2019; 322(9): 824-833. DOI:10.1001/jama.2019.11645
“Among 2862 randomized participants, 2371, completed the study and accounted for 5180 HCW-seasons. … Among outpatient health care personnel, N95 respirators vs. medical masks as worn by participants in this trial resulted in no significant difference in the incidence of laboratory-confirmed influenza.”
• Long, Y. et al. (2020) “Effectiveness of N95 respirators versus surgical masks against influenza: A systematic review and meta-analysis”, J Evid Based Med. 2020; 1- 9. https://doi.org/10.1111/jebm.12381
No RCT study with verified outcome shows a benefit for HCW or community members in households to wearing a mask or respirator. There is no such study. There are no exceptions. Likewise, no study exists that shows a benefit from a broad policy to wear masks in public.
This not advice but a resource to draw your own conclusion.
