Nat Commun: Modeling studies the effectiveness of masks during the new crown.

According to a model study published in Nature-Communications, the use of masks by the public helps reduce the total number of infections and deaths from COVID-19.
study found that even cloth masks with limited protective effects, if widely used, can help reduce the total number of infections and deaths.
Colin Worby of the MIT-Harvard Bode Institute and Zhang Weihan of Tsinghua University in Taiwan used mathematical models to study the effects of the distribution of masks and masks by the general public during coronavirus outbreaks.
the authors simulated outbreaks in which the availability and effectiveness of disposable medical-grade masks were not the same, and calculated the total number of infections and deaths resulting from them.
they found that in all models used, the total number of deaths and infections decreased as the supply and effectiveness of masks increased.
The authors considered four distribution strategies in the context of limited availability of disposable medical masks in the general population: random distribution, priority distribution to older persons, distribution to older persons and confirmed cases, and distribution to confirmed cases.
in all of their models, they assume that health care workers and key personnel have adequate protection.
authors found that priority distribution to older persons and retention of medical masks for detected infections reduced the total number of infections and deaths to a greater extent than random distribution.
In simulating the widespread use of cloth masks (reusable) in the population, the authors found that even though the supply of medical masks was limited to 10 per cent of the population, the decrease in the total number of deaths in the general use of cloth masks was comparable to the effect achieved in the targeted distribution of disposable medical-grade masks.
they found that the widespread use of cloth masks could reduce the number of deaths by 3-5 per cent, while the additional targeted distribution of medical masks to the elderly and those with symptoms doubled the effect.
authors conclude that the use of masks is an important part of public health measures to limit the continued spread of SARS-CoV-2.
, however, further research is needed to better estimate the effectiveness of public use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
.