According to a report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), there is insufficient evidence that respiratory protective masks prevent the spread of Covid-19. The British government-affiliated body analyzed high-end equipment such as KN95 and FFP2 masks and concluded that neither piece proved effective.
The researchers reviewed more than 4,300 studies on Covid. They looked at risk groups that included people with Down syndrome, cancer patients and people with immune system disorders.
According to Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at the University of Oxford, the fact that there are no tests on the masks’ effectiveness is “a significant shortcoming”. “I don’t understand why there is a lack of interest in doing high-quality experiments in this area,” noted the professor. In an interview with the newspaper telegram. “We have completely failed to address this issue.”
The British professor argues that for people at low risk of infection, the issue is less important. However, the professor points out, people with comorbidities are interested in understanding whether masks are effective. “They want to know the answers,” he said. Heneghan adds that the inability of scientists to conduct good clinical trials exposes the scientists themselves. “We run the risk of making the same mistakes in the next pandemic,” he warned.
A previous UKHSA report showed masks were effective in reducing the spread of Covid. However, in a more recent review, the company found insufficient evidence of its effectiveness.
Norwich School of Medicine Professor Paul Hunter conducted a study on the effectiveness of masks at the end of 2020. “These devices have reduced the risk of transmission by about 20%,” noted the professor in an interview. telegram. “In the early days of the epidemic, this was especially important. But masks were never a cast-iron guarantee, some seem to have said.
Also Read: “Laboratory Viruses and Fake News”, Article by Paula Schmitt published in Revista Oeste Issue 156
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