Study says the use of masks reduces the incidence of Covid-19 by 53%

or use More expensive Proven to be the most effective non-pharmaceutical method of control COVID-19This was demonstrated by the first global study that analyzed social interventions adopted during the pandemic.

According to the researchers, protecting the face reduces infections by 53%, while social distancing reduces cases by 25%. The study also notes that hand washing caused a 53% reduction in prevalence — however, they note that this number may not represent hand washing alone, but rather a combination of different behaviours, such as avoiding crowds.

Hand washing is likely a sign of various protective behaviours, such as crowd avoidance, distancing, and wearing masks. Thus, the results of observational studies can be better interpreted as the effect of a group of interconnected protective behaviors for which individual behaviors are considered a marker,” the study authors said.

The research, published in the leading British medical journal The BMJ, said it underscores the importance of continuing to take measures, such as avoiding crowds and wearing masks, as vaccination campaigns progress across the world.

The authors emphasized that a more detailed analysis of other measures taken during the pandemic, such as quarantine, could not have been done. closuresClose borders, schools and workplaces.

The study is gaining more importance at a time when countries around the world are witnessing a race to immunization population. All over the world, authorities are trying to persuade unvaccinated people to receive preventive doses, because they pose a risk of possible outbreaks of the Covid-19 virus, such as those that occur around several points of the Europe driven variable delta – Which imposes a retreat from the previously approved facilitation procedures. in a DutchFor example, partial lockdown was adopted to contain case escalation.

No Brazil, City Rio de Janeiro Remove the mandatory use of masks outdoors. Meanwhile, the case Sao Paulo It is also considering releasing the use of face shields.

according to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Covid-19 deaths fell 17% in the Americas last week, and the most populous countries such as United Stateand Brazil and Colombia Sees a decline in new infections after weeks of declining trends