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Effectiveness of Respiratory Protective Devices in Reducing Influenza Outbreak

1 points by barry-cotter 7y ago

barry-cotter 7y ago
The more people who wear masks the slower respiratory infections spread. The faster we get to universal mask wearing the fewer people will die. > In this article, a risk assessment model previously developed in general form was used to estimate the effectiveness of different types of protective equipment in reducing the rate of infection in an influenza outbreak. It was found that a 50% compliance in donning the device resulted in a significant (at least 50% prevalence and 20% cumulative incidence) reduction in risk for fitted and unfitted N95 respirators, high-filtration surgical masks, and both low-filtration and high-filtration pediatric masks. An 80% compliance rate essentially eliminated the influenza outbreak. The results of the present study, as well as the application of the model to related influenza scenarios, are potentially useful to public health officials in decisions involving resource allocation or education strategies. https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/1239560638239838215?s=21 https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/12395606382398382... > I’m a virologist. Public should know covid exposure dose matters. We have to conserve masks for healthcare workers, but masks can help anyone, reducing amount of virus released (even by breathing) or taken in. Immune system is more effective if infection starts w/ low dose. > Keeping the exposure dose to a minimum means that virus has to divide many more times before getting to high levels... but immune system starts responding and therefore can flatten the curve, keeping the peak viral load lower, so it does less damage (fewer symptoms). > That won’t help everyone. For various reasons, whether genetics, immunosuppressive medications, or underlying conditions, even low exposure levels will climb to high, dangerous levels. But on the whole, keeping everyone’s exposure dose down (if exposed) could save lives.

1 points by barry-cotter 7y ago

The more people who wear masks the slower respiratory infections spread. The faster we get to universal mask wearing the fewer people will die. > In this article, a risk assessment model previously developed in general form was used to estimate the effectiveness of different types of protective equipment in reducing the rate of infection in an influenza outbreak. It was found that a 50% compliance in donning the device resulted in a significant (at least 50% prevalence and 20% cumulative incidence) reduction in risk for fitted and unfitted N95 respirators, high-filtration surgical masks, and both low-filtration and high-filtration pediatric masks. An 80% compliance rate essentially eliminated the influenza outbreak. The results of the present study, as well as the application of the model to related influenza scenarios, are potentially useful to public health officials in decisions involving resource allocation or education strategies. https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/1239560638239838215?s=21 https://twitter.com/peterkolchinsky/status/12395606382398382... > I’m a virologist. Public should know covid exposure dose matters. We have to conserve masks for healthcare workers, but masks can help anyone, reducing amount of virus released (even by breathing) or taken in. Immune system is more effective if infection starts w/ low dose. > Keeping the exposure dose to a minimum means that virus has to divide many more times before getting to high levels... but immune system starts responding and therefore can flatten the curve, keeping the peak viral load lower, so it does less damage (fewer symptoms). > That won’t help everyone. For various reasons, whether genetics, immunosuppressive medications, or underlying conditions, even low exposure levels will climb to high, dangerous levels. But on the whole, keeping everyone’s exposure dose down (if exposed) could save lives.