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1
Rohde, Daniela, Susan Ahern, Barbara Clyne, et al. "Effectiveness of face masks worn in community settings at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A rapid review." HRB Open Research 3 (October 15, 2020): 76. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/hrbopenres.13161.1.
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Background: The use of face masks is part of a suite of infection prevention and control measures intended to limit the transmission of respiratory viral diseases. The use of face masks by the general public has been subject to ongoing debate, with limited direct evidence on the effectiveness of face masks in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this review was to synthesise direct evidence on the effectiveness of wearing face masks at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in community settings. Methods: A rapid review was conducted. PubMed, Embase, NHS Evidence and Europe PMC were searched systematically from 1 January to 27 August 2020. Clinical trials, cohort, case control, and cross-sectional studies were included if they reported on the effectiveness of face masks in community settings at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Studies were critically appraised and synthesised narratively. Results: Seven observational studies were identified, including one study set in households and six in community settings, that reported on the effectiveness of wearing face masks compared with not wearing face masks at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Results suggested that face masks reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, all studies were at high risk of bias and the quality of the evidence was low. Conclusions: This is to date the most comprehensive review of direct evidence on the effectiveness of wearing face masks in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is limited, low certainty direct evidence that wearing face masks reduces the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in community settings. Further high quality studies are required to confirm these findings.
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Lolo, Komlan. "ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BARRIER MASKS MADE OF FABRIC." International Journal of Advanced Research 11, no. 03 (2023): 489–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/ijar01/16451.
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Masks for general public use served to stem the cruel shortage during the Corona Virus 2019 (Covid19) pandemic. Their fabric making took off sporadically with the designers/seamstresses with the presentation of the models. Manufacturing methods and performance efficiency testing become worrisome for these manufactured face masks. The control is based on the pattern and the constituents of each mask.Visual inspections, filtration and breathability control are recognized in manufactured masks. Washing gives the possibility of reuse extending the life of the mask. The purpose of this article is to present the effectiveness of fabric face masks.
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OLUWAFEMI, Muyiwa Seun, Ese Freeman OGHAGHARE, Ese Freeman OGHAGHARE, and Bassey UDOFIA. "Covid-19: The Burden of a Pandemic and Effectiveness of Face Masks in Curtailing Its Spread." Journal of Medical and Biological Science Research 7, no. 1 (2021): 1–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.36630/jmbsr_21001.
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The outbreak of Covid-19 presents an unprecedented threat to public health with a devastating effect on the world economy and health system. In March 2020, the government of the United States responded by adopting the use of face masks as one of the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in public places. The increase in the spread of coronavirus necessitated the need for researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of face masks as a measure to control the spread of coronavirus. It became of more concern when alternatives to face masks were observed in public places. This article reviewed factors that affect the effectiveness of face masks and the choice of an effective face mask as reported by several studies. The use of appropriate face masks and other measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus should be encouraged at all levels. Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, FACE-MASKS.
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Rossettie, Stephen, Cody Perry, Mohammed Pourghaed, and Mimi Zumwalt. "Effectiveness of manufactured surgical masks, respirators, and home-made masks in prevention of respiratory infection due to airborne microorganisms." Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles 8, no. 34 (2020): 11–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.12746/swrccc.v8i34.675.
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According to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate, the health sector would require about 1.5 billion face masks plus 90 million respirators, and the public would need around 1.1 billion masks for a six-week influenza pandemic.1 As the current COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, concerns have been raised over depletion of medical supplies, including face masks. This has led to recommendations for healthcare personnel (HCP) to apply extended use and limited re-use strategies with face masks.2 In addition, the general population’s response is mounting with persons making their own face masks for self-protection. This article aims to provide more detailed scientific information regarding the effectiveness and reusability of medical/surgical masks, respirators, and homemade masks.
 Data have been collected from various journals and different studies listed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library. The CDC and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines were also used extensively, as well as broader web searches of the English literature for up to date information.
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Anand, Akshay, and Kourosh Shoele. "Identifying the effectiveness of face mask in a large population with a network-based fluid model." PLOS One 20, no. 6 (2025): e0324229. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324229.
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Face masks are important in respiratory disease control, yet their effectiveness varies widely depending on the mask material and its fit on the wearer’s face. In this study, a new semi-analytical flow network model based on the Kármán-Pohlhausen technique is introduced and utilized to efficiently assess mask performance across diverse facial features that represent the observed variations inside a large population. The reduced-order model enables the evaluation of the role of different facial geometrical features with significantly lower computational costs compared to traditional computational fluid dynamics simulations. This research reveals that the area around the nose, particularly without a nose clip, is most susceptible to peripheral leakage and high-velocity jets due to larger gaps. It is argued that subtle variations in facial features, especially the zygomatic arch, significantly influence leakage patterns, emphasizing the importance of customized mask designs. The study also elucidates the complex role of nose clips in improving sealing efficacy for tightly fitted masks and redirecting leaked flow in typical imperfect facemasks. This dual function of nose clips significantly influences overall mask performance, though the exact impact varies depending on individual facial features and mask fit. The reduced-order fluid model presented here has the potential to quantify the effectiveness of face masks for a large population and influence the design of future face masks, with a focus on minimizing or redirecting leakage jets to mitigate the dispersion of respiratory aerosols thus enhancing public health strategies for respiratory disease control.
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Dvoynikova, Anastasia, Maxim Markitantov, Elena Ryumina, Dmitry Ryumin, and Alexey Karpov. "Analytical Review of Audiovisual Systems for Determining Personal Protective Equipment on a Person's Face." Informatics and Automation 20, no. 5 (2021): 1116–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.15622/20.5.5.
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Since 2019 all countries of the world have faced the rapid spread of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus infection, the fight against which continues to the present day by the world community. Despite the obvious effectiveness of personal respiratory protection equipment against coronavirus infection, many people neglect the use of protective face masks in public places. Therefore, to control and timely identify violators of public health regulations, it is necessary to apply modern information technologies that will detect protective masks on people's faces using video and audio information. The article presents an analytical review of existing and developing intelligent information technologies for bimodal analysis of the voice and facial characteristics of a masked person. There are many studies on the topic of detecting masks from video images, and a significant number of cases containing images of faces both in and without masks obtained by various methods can also be found in the public access. Research and development aimed at detecting personal respiratory protection equipment by the acoustic characteristics of human speech is still quite small, since this direction began to develop only during the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus infection. Existing systems allow to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection by recognizing the presence/absence of masks on the face, and these systems also help in remote diagnosis of COVID-19 by detecting the first symptoms of a viral infection by acoustic characteristics. However, to date, there is a number of unresolved problems in the field of automatic diagnosis of COVID-19 and the presence/absence of masks on people's faces. First of all, this is the low accuracy of detecting masks and coronavirus infection, which does not allow for performing automatic diagnosis without the presence of experts (medical personnel). Many systems are not able to operate in real time, which makes it impossible to control and monitor the wearing of protective masks in public places. Also, most of the existing systems cannot be built into a smartphone, so that users be able to diagnose the presence of coronavirus infection anywhere. Another major problem is the collection of data from patients infected with COVID-19, as many people do not agree to distribute confidential information.
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Hussain, Shabbir, Muhammad Faizan, Mohsin Javed, et al. "Effectiveness of Face Masks and Respiratory Aid Devices for Prophylaxis against COVID-19." Lahore Garrison University Journal of Life Sciences 6, no. 01 (2022): 22–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.54692/lgujls.2022.0601197.
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The COVID-19 epidemic was spread rapidly around the world in 2019, and has greatly affected peoples general interaction, their work habits, dailylives and businesses. A personnel protection against the spread of COVID-19 is not only beneficial but is critically important especially for those working in medical fields. Current studies were performed to review the use and benefits of face mask and respiratory aid devices in order to control the spread of COVID-19. The respiratory aids devices (RADs) may be recommended as anti-COVID-19 masks rather than surgical masks. However, RADs having P and R series filters do not prevent the infiltration of coronavirus due to its smaller size as compared to the filtration capacity of filters. The N99 and N100 filters cause a difficulty inbreathing; it is difficult to wear such sort of respirators for a longer time. N95 respirators are recommended by medical professionals as they provide lesser(almost half) respiratory resistance. However, wearing of face masks is also involved some risks and side effects which may include physiological and disturbing effects, difficulty in breathing, affecting the volume and quality of sound, decrease of innate immunity, cardiopulmonary overload and increase in contamination chances due to development of humid habitat inside the mask.
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Carvalho, Helena, Daniel Contaifer Jr, Renata N. Aranha, and Juliana A. De Matos. "Keep your droplets to yourself: Universal use of face masks along with social distancing." Brazilian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences 19, no. 2 (2021): 114–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.12957/bjhbs.2020.59715.
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Introduction: As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses aroundthe world, the universal use of face masks imposes itself as ameasure to mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and iscurrently recommended by the World Health Organization.However, its effectiveness as a method of preventing COVID-19 is still controversial. Objective: To review the literatureon the universal use of facial masks, including fabric ones, andtheir recommendations for use. Methods: Narrative reviewof published studies on the topic. Results: Face masks act predominantlyas a source control mechanism, as they capturethe droplets expelled by the user when speaking, coughingor sneezing, protecting other people and the environmentfrom contamination by potentially infecting droplets. Evidenceof the effectiveness of its universal use as a method ofmitigating epidemics of viral respiratory infections is derivedfrom experimental studies and mathematical models. Properuse of facial masks is essential to ensure their effectivenessand prevent damage, and includes covering the nose, mouthand chin, washing the fabric masks with soap and water afteruse and hand hygiene several times a day, especially whenhandling the mask. Conclusions: The universal use of facialmasks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic is justified,especially considering the occurrence of virus transmissionin the pre-symptomatic period, and should be adopted inconjunction with other measures such as adequate socialdistance and hygiene from the hands, following the motto“I protect you and you protect me”.
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Aiello, Allison E., Genevra F. Murray, Vanessa Perez, et al. "Mask use, hand hygiene, and seasonal influenza-like illness among young adults: A randomized intervention trial." Journal of Infectious Diseases 201, no. 4 (2010): 491–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/650396.
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Abstract Background . During the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic, antiviral prescribing was limited, vaccines were not available early, and the effectiveness of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) was uncertain. Our study examined whether use of face masks and hand hygiene reduced the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI). Methods . A randomized intervention trial involving 1437 young adults living in university residence halls during the 2006–2007 influenza season was designed. Residence halls were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups—face mask use, face masks with hand hygiene, or control— for 6 weeks. Generalized models estimated rate ratios for clinically diagnosed or survey-reported ILI weekly and cumulatively. Results . We observed significant reductions in ILI during weeks 4–6 in the mask and hand hygiene group, compared with the control group, ranging from 35% (confidence interval [CI], 9%–53%) to 51% (CI, 13%–73%), after adjusting for vaccination and other covariates. Face mask use alone showed a similar reduction in ILI compared with the control group, but adjusted estimates were not statistically significant. Neither face mask use and hand hygiene nor face mask use alone was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of ILI cumulatively. Conclusions . These findings suggest that face masks and hand hygiene may reduce respiratory illnesses in shared living settings and mitigate the impact of the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. Trial Registration . ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00490633.
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Kumari, Muskan, and Lonka Nithin. "Real-Time Face Mask Detection." INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT 09, no. 03 (2025): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsrem43172.
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Real-time face mask detection leverages computer vision and deep learning to identify individuals wearing masks in videos or live camera feeds. It involves two key steps: face detec- tion to locate human faces and mask detection using trained deep learning models to analyze the facial region for mask presence. This technology offers benefits like public health monitoring and security access control, but requires considerations for accuracy and real-time processing efficiency. Ongoing research focuses on improving these aspects for wider deployment.The widespread adoption of face masks as a preventive measure against infectious diseases has necessitated the development of efficient face mask detection systems. In this paper, we propose a real-time face mask detection system utilizing deep learning techniques. The system employs a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, specifically designed to accurately detect the presence or absence of face masks in live video streams. Initially, the proposed system preprocesses the input video frames to extract facial regions using a pre-trained face detection model. These facial regions are then fed into the CNN for classification into two categories: with mask and without mask. The CNN model is trained on a diverse dataset of annotated facial images with and without masks, ensuring robustness and generalization. To enhance real-time performance, we optimize the model architecture for efficient inference on resource-constrained devices, such as embedded systems and mobile devices. We leverage techniques such as model pruning, quantization, and parallelization to achieve low- latency inference without compromising accuracy. Experimental evaluations conducted on various real-world scenarios demon- strate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system. The system achieves high accuracy in detecting face masks in real- time while maintaining low computational overhead. Moreover, extensive testing under different lighting conditions, angles, and occlusions validates its robustness and practical viability. Overall, the proposed real-time face mask detection system presents a scalable and deployable solution for ensuring compliance with face mask mandates in public spaces, contributing to public health efforts to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases
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Victor, Vijay, Anandakrishnan Nambiar, and Robert Nathan. "MILLENNIALS’ INTENTION TO WEAR FACE MASKS IN PUBLIC DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC." Journal of Management Vol. 36, No. 2 (2020): 43–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.38104/vadyba.2020.2.07.
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Many studies in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic have shown that millennials are reluctant to wear face masks while they are out in public. This poses serious threats to the community, especially to the vulnerable population with comorbidities. Addressing this issue, this study examines the effectiveness of a self-interest statement, collective interest statement, and legal enforcement statement in motivating millennials to wear a mask in public. This study collected data through online survey from Millennials in India and uses a t-test with Welch Approximation to compare the results of the three statements with a control text. The results show collective interest statement was more effective in motivating millennials to wear masks. Reflecting on this finding, the study proposes that authorities and media could frame their advertisements, campaigns and awareness programmes by emphasizing the health of family and friends to motivate millennials to wear face masks in public
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Bakhit, Mina, Natalia Krzyzaniak, Anna Mae Scott, Justin Clark, Paul Glasziou, and Chris Del Mar. "Downsides of face masks and possible mitigation strategies: a systematic review and meta-analysis." BMJ Open 11, no. 2 (2021): e044364. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044364.
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ObjectiveTo identify, appraise and synthesise studies evaluating the downsides of wearing face masks in any setting. We also discuss potential strategies to mitigate these downsides.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesPubMed, Embase, CENTRAL and EuropePMC were searched (inception–18 May 2020), and clinical registries were searched via CENTRAL. We also did a forward–backward citation search of the included studies.Inclusion criteriaWe included randomised controlled trials and observational studies comparing face mask use to any active intervention or to control.Data extraction and analysisTwo author pairs independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcomes were compliance, discomforts, harms and adverse events of wearing face masks.ResultsWe screened 5471 articles, including 37 (40 references); 11 were meta-analysed. For mask wear adherence, 47% (95% CI 25% to 68%, p<0.0001), more people wore face masks in the face mask group compared with control; adherence was significantly higher (26%, 95% CI 8% to 46%, p<0.01) in the surgical/medical mask group than in N95/P2 group. The largest number of studies reported on the discomfort and irritation outcome (20 studies); fewest reported on the misuse of masks, and none reported on mask contamination or risk compensation behaviour. Risk of bias was generally high for blinding of participants and personnel and low for attrition and reporting biases.ConclusionsThere are insufficient data to quantify all of the adverse effects that might reduce the acceptability, adherence and effectiveness of face masks. New research on face masks should assess and report the harms and downsides. Urgent research is also needed on methods and designs to mitigate the downsides of face mask wearing, particularly the assessment of possible alternatives.Systematic review registrationOpen Science Framework website https://osf.io/sa6kf/ (timestamp 20-05-2020).
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Abedin, Nafisa, Kazi Nabila Bushrah, Muhit Reza Md Muktadir, Raisa Abedin Disha, and Saumitra Chakravarty. "Suggestions and Recommendations of Face Mask Usage during COVID 19 Pandemic." Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 7, no. 1 (2020): 27–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjid.v7i1.48674.
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Rate of spread of SARS-CoV-2 and number of relevant deaths continue to elevate as the time elapses since its first outbreak. With no readily available curative treatment neither any effective vaccine till now to prevent the infection, practicing personal protection measures remain the only effective way to stay protected from its attack. Those who are directly exposed to the care of any confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patient, including the health care workers and caregivers, have been advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to wear proper face masks or respirators following the guidelines. Transmission of corona virus occurs through respiratory droplets, close personal contact as well as touching stuff or surfaces polluted by the viral particles. However, several studies have already proven the effectiveness of using various face masks, according to the circumstances, in preventing the dissemination of COVID-19.
 Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2020;7(1):27-32
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Głowacka, Natalia, and Jacek Rumiński. "Face with Mask Detection in Thermal Images Using Deep Neural Networks." Sensors 21, no. 19 (2021): 6387. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s21196387.
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As the interest in facial detection grows, especially during a pandemic, solutions are sought that will be effective and bring more benefits. This is the case with the use of thermal imaging, which is resistant to environmental factors and makes it possible, for example, to determine the temperature based on the detected face, which brings new perspectives and opportunities to use such an approach for health control purposes. The goal of this work is to analyze the effectiveness of deep-learning-based face detection algorithms applied to thermal images, especially for faces covered by virus protective face masks. As part of this work, a set of thermal images was prepared containing over 7900 images of faces with and without masks. Selected raw data preprocessing methods were also investigated to analyze their influence on the face detection results. It was shown that the use of transfer learning based on features learned from visible light images results in mAP greater than 82% for half of the investigated models. The best model turned out to be the one based on Yolov3 model (mean average precision—mAP, was at least 99.3%, while the precision was at least 66.1%). Inference time of the models selected for evaluation on a small and cheap platform allows them to be used for many applications, especially in apps that promote public health.
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Abdullahi, Leila, John Joseph Onyango, Carol Mukiira, et al. "Community interventions in Low—And Middle-Income Countries to inform COVID-19 control implementation decisions in Kenya: A rapid systematic review." PLOS ONE 15, no. 12 (2020): e0242403. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242403.
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Globally, public health measures like face masks, hand hygiene and maintaining social distancing have been implemented to delay and reduce local transmission of COVID-19. To date there is emerging evidence to provide effectiveness and compliance to intervention measures on COVID-19 due to rapid spread of the disease. We synthesized evidence of community interventions and innovative practices to mitigate COVID-19 as well as previous respiratory outbreak infections which may share some aspects of transmission dynamics with COVID-19. In the study, we systematically searched the literature on community interventions to mitigate COVID-19, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), H1N1 Influenza and MERS (middle east respiratory syndrome) epidemics in PubMed, Google Scholar, World Health Organization (WHO), MEDRXIV and Google from their inception until May 30, 2020 for up-to-date published and grey resources. We screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias in duplicates. We rated the certainty of evidence according to Cochrane methods and the GRADE approach. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183064). Of 41,138 papers found, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria in various settings in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). One of the papers from LMICs originated from Africa (Madagascar) with the rest from Asia 9 (China 5, Bangladesh 2, Thailand 2); South America 5 (Mexico 3, Peru 2) and Europe 2 (Serbia and Romania). Following five studies on the use of face masks, the risk of contracting SARS and Influenza was reduced OR 0.78 and 95% CI = 0.36–1.67. Equally, six studies on hand hygiene practices reported a reduced risk of contracting SARS and Influenza OR 0.95 and 95% CI = 0.83–1.08. Further two studies that looked at combined use of face masks and hand hygiene interventions showed the effectiveness in controlling the transmission of influenza OR 0.94 and 95% CI = 0.58–1.54. Nine studies on social distancing intervention demonstrated the importance of physical distance through closure of learning institutions on the transmission dynamics of disease. The evidence confirms the use of face masks, good hand hygiene and social distancing as community interventions are effective to control the spread of SARS and influenza in LMICs. However, the effectiveness of community interventions in LMICs should be informed by adherence of the mitigation measures and contextual factors taking into account the best practices. The study has shown gaps in adherence/compliance of the interventions, hence a need for robust intervention studies to better inform the evidence on compliance of the interventions. Nevertheless, this rapid review of currently best available evidence might inform interim guidance on similar respiratory infectious diseases like Covid-19 in Kenya and similar LMIC context.
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Putri, Faizah Alivia, Widia Widia, Syarmila Syarmila, and Robby Gus Mahardika. "Cempedak leaf extract (Artocarpus champeden) as a novel ingredient in antibacterial peel-off gel face masks." Acta Pharmaciae Indonesia : Acta Pharm Indo 10, no. 2 (2022): 4920. http://dx.doi.org/10.20884/1.api.2022.10.2.4920.
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Background: Phenolic compounds in plants act as natural antioxidants, with cempedak (Artocarpus champeden) leaf extract showing promise due to its high phenolic content and potential antibacterial properties against Propionibacterium acnes.
 Objective: This study explores the effectiveness of cempedak leaf extract as an active ingredient in peel-off gel face masks for antibacterial purposes.
 Methods: Cempedak leaf extract was analyzed for phenolic content and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Its antibacterial activity was tested against P. acnes using agar diffusion, comparing inhibition zones with positive control. A peel-off gel face mask was formulated with cempedak leaf extract, undergoing physical and an irritation test.
 Results: Cempedak leaf extract contained a total phenolic content of 342.35 mg EAG/g and exhibited significant antibacterial activity. The face mask formulation with cempedak leaf extract showed promising physical properties and did not irritate, meeting the peel-off gel face mask standards.
 Conclusion: Cempedak leaf extract has potent antibacterial properties, making it an effective ingredient in peel-off gel face masks for treating acne. Further research could explore its commercial potential in skincare products.
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Biggio, Adriane, and Stephanie Nagy-Agren. "Facemasks for Source Control: Testing Influenza Transfer to Bedside Tables." Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 1, S1 (2021): s77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/ash.2021.151.
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Background: Research testing human study participants regarding the effectiveness of face masks in preventing influenza transfer or transmission is limited. In this pilot study, we investigated the following question: In influenza-positive veterans, what is the effect of face-mask wearing in comparison to not wearing a face mask on influenza transfer to bedside tables measured for 2 hours per condition over a 10-week period during the 2019–2020 influenza season Methods: Influenza-positive veterans with influenza symptom onset ≤ 120 hours admitted to the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center were recruited to participate in this study. Exclusion criteria included critical illness requiring an oxygen mask or intubation. The Precept® FluidGard® 160 Procedure Mask 15300, Precept Medical Products, Inc., Arden, NC was worn by all participants during the two-hour intervention period. Surface swabs were used to measure the presence of influenza on bedside tables. CDC/NIOSH tested for influenza A and B from surface samples and facemasks using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (TaqMan ThermoFisher Scientific). Demographic information was collected (Table 1). A study questionnaire collected qualitative data on tolerability and feasibility of wearing a facemask when hospitalized with influenza. Institutional Review Board approval was granted. Results: From January 2, 2020, to March 11, 2020, 8 participants completed the study. Mean age was 67 years, all were male. Of these 8 participants, 6 had influenza A and 2 had influenza B. Half were diabetic; all received oseltamivir. Relative room humidity ranged from 15.6% to 39.8%. Neither influenza A nor B was detected by qPCR on bedside tables for any of the 8 participants under either face-mask–wearing condition. All participants reported that wearing the face mask was easy or very easy; of these, 5 reported experiencing warmth from the mask. Also, 50% of participants selected 2 hours as the time they could tolerate wearing a mask; the other 25% specified they could wear the face mask for 3 hours or 5 hours or more, respectively. Conclusions: In this pilot study, we demonstrated that wearing face masks is a tolerable infection control practice for providing source control for inpatients with influenza and will guide future research. Because a major limitation was the small size of the study, associated with lack of viral capture, a larger study is planned. Using face masks for source control among inpatients with influenza and other respiratory virus infections should be considered a standard infection control practice.Funding: NoDisclosures: None
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Wendling, Jean-Michel, Thibaut Fabacher, Philippe-Pierre Pébaÿ, Isabelle Cosperec, and Michaël Rochoy. "Experimental Efficacy of the Face Shield and the Mask against Emitted and Potentially Received Particles." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4 (2021): 1942. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041942.
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There is currently not sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of face shields for source control. In order to evaluate the comparative barrier performance effect of face masks and face shields, we used an aerosol generator and a particle counter to evaluate the performance of the various devices in comparable situations. We tested different configurations in an experimental setup with manikin heads wearing masks (surgical type I), face shields (22.5 cm high with overhang under the chin of 7 cm and circumference of 35 cm) on an emitter or a receiver manikin head, or both. The manikins were face to face, 25 cm apart, with an intense particle emission (52.5 L/min) for 30 s. The particle counter calculated the total cumulative particles aspirated on a volume of 1.416 L In our experimental conditions, when the receiver alone wore a protection, the face shield was more effective (reduction factor = 54.8%), while reduction was lower with a mask (reduction factor = 21.8%) (p = 0.002). The wearing of a protective device by the emitter alone reduced the level of received particles by 96.8% for both the mask and face shield (p = NS). When both the emitter and receiver manikin heads wore a face shield, the protection allowed for better results in our experimental conditions: 98% reduction for the face shields versus 97.3% for the masks (p = 0.01). Face shields offered an even better barrier effect than the mask against small inhaled particles (<0.3 µm–0.3 to 0.5 µm–0.5 to 1 µm) in all configurations. Therefore, it would be interesting to include face shields as used in our experimental study as part of strategies to reduce transmission within the community setting.
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Nadatani, Yuji, Akira Higashimori, Shingo Takashima, et al. "A mask-based infection control method for screening endoscopy may prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and relieve staff anxiety." SAGE Open Medicine 9 (January 2021): 205031212110470. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/20503121211047060.
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Objectives: Endoscopy confers high risk for acquiring coronavirus disease 2019. Although guidelines recommend that medical staff use personal protective equipment, no infection control equipment have been established for patients. This study aimed to clarify the usefulness of two face masks we had designed for transnasal and transoral endoscopy. Methods: The efficacy of the masks was evaluated by simulating coughing in a mannequin with fluorescent dyes and mapping the droplet trajectory and number. The number of aerosols generated during endoscopy was clinically evaluated in the endoscopy room. Overall, 4356 screening endoscopies were performed with the patients wearing our masks at Medcity21, a health checkup facility, between June and December 2020; the effects of the masks on the patient’s condition were evaluated retrospectively. An 11-item paper-based survey was performed by the endoscopy staff 6 months after the adoption of the mask-based infection control method. Results: Use of both masks reduced the number of droplets released during the simulation. Clinically, the use of both masks did not affect the patients’ conditions during endoscopy and prevented an increase in the aerosols in the endoscopy room. This mask-based infection control method was favorably received, and all staff indicated that understanding the efficacy of our mask-based infection control reduced their anxiety regarding infection. Until December 2020, none of our staff had contracted SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Our mask-based infection control method is easy to adopt, inexpensive, and effective; understanding its effectiveness may help ease the fear of infection among endoscopy staff.
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Sadler, Emma. "Mask wearing in the veterinary practice." Veterinary Nurse 13, no. 4 (2022): 194–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/vetn.2022.13.4.194.
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The clinical environment of a veterinary practice relies on personal protective equipment (PPE) for infection and biosecurity control, especially in areas such as the operating theatre room, dental suites and isolation wards. PPE places a barrier between staff and exposure risk and helps prevent the spread of pathogens between animals and staff. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks were mainly required in clinical areas that posed the highest risk. However, as a result of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, being spread by airborne transmission, face masks have been worn throughout all areas of practice, reducing the emission of the virus carrying particles when worn by an infected person. This article discusses the evidence-based research for the effectiveness of face coverings in the control of the spread of COVID-19. It also considers the social and psychological impacts to veterinary staff, clients and patients with doing so. Information on COVID-19 was gathered from government and scientific studies and research conducted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and Dogs Trust relating to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on animals and veterinary nurses.
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Lan, Shan, Lun Pan, Yang Qin, Lijie Ma, and Hongyu Yi. "Effects of intensive wearing face masks on patients with postinfectious cough: A randomized controlled trial." Medicine 104, no. 2 (2025): e41136. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000041136.
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Background: Postinfectious cough was a common clinical symptom, which troubled patients and increased economic burden. The efficacy of pharmacotherapy for this symptom was unsatisfactory. This study aimed to explore the intervention effect of intensified mask-wearing on patients with post-upper respiratory tract infection cough and its role in reducing the economic burden of patients. Methods: As a randomized, controlled, single-blind trial, a total of 46 eligible patients with postinfectious cough were selected from local hospital, from November 2023 to February 2024. They were randomized into a control group (n = 21) and an experimental group (n = 25). Both groups received routine diagnosis and treatment, and the experimental group additionally received wearing medical surgical masks for >8 hours every day. All patients were followed up by on-site evaluation or telephone follow-up every 3 days for 3 weeks. We used a cough evaluation test to evaluate symptoms, recorded mask-wearing duration, and adjusted the treatment plan. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, course of disease, cough severity, and time of wearing face masks in the early stage between 2 groups (P > .05). Three people (12.0%) in the experimental group were excluded from the study because of substandard wearing face masks. The average daily mask-wearing time of the experimental and control groups were: 9.7 ± 0.9 versus 1.2 ± 2.2 hours (P < .001). There was a statistically significant difference in cough severity scores between 2 groups on the 9th day of follow-up, 6.6 ± 2.0 versus 8.0 ± 2.5 (P < .05), the markedly effective and total effective rates were: 86.4% versus 57.1% and 31.81% versus 38.09 % (P <.05). The treatment time for all patients in 2 groups to achieve effectiveness was: 10.1 ± 4.6 versus 13.0 ± 4.1 days (P < .05). The final medical expenditure of 2 groups were 289.4 (185.2, 782.2) CNY versus 717.5 (548.5, 1582.2) CNY (P < .05). Conclusion: The compliance of patients with intensive wearing face masks was high. The intensive wearing of face masks had a good intervention effect on the treatment of postinfectious cough, which could effectively reduce cough symptoms of patients, shorten the course of the disease, and reduce medical expenditure.
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Komlan LOLO. "Scientific approach in the manufacture of cloth barrier." World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews 20, no. 1 (2023): 086–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2023.20.1.2030.
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The 2019 pandemic is fueling benefits and inconveniences around the world. This scourge has subjected humans to wearing masks to curb the spread of the virus. The mask remains one of the effective means that has slowed down the wreak effect. Faced with the concern of the production of local masks on the eve of the shortage of medical masks, one solution is the regulation of the production sector through manufacturing control. No studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of locally manufactured fabric masks. Devices for testing for respirable fine particles are very expensive. The objective of our study is to present the design and manufacture of the breathability and filtration test bench for local masks. To analyze and test the locally manufactured masks, they are listed on the market in the city, visually inspected, tested and controlled by means of the bench designed and manufactured. The results of the trials showed significant satisfaction in the effectiveness on the pleated masks
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Komlan, LOLO. "Scientific approach in the manufacture of cloth barrier." World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews 20, no. 1 (2023): 086–90. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12166373.
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The 2019 pandemic is fueling benefits and inconveniences around the world. This scourge has subjected humans to wearing masks to curb the spread of the virus. The mask remains one of the effective means that has slowed down the wreak effect. Faced with the concern of the production of local masks on the eve of the shortage of medical masks, one solution is the regulation of the production sector through manufacturing control. No studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of locally manufactured fabric masks. Devices for testing for respirable fine particles are very expensive. The objective of our study is to present the design and manufacture of the breathability and filtration test bench for local masks. To analyze and test the locally manufactured masks, they are listed on the market in the city, visually inspected, tested and controlled by means of the bench designed and manufactured. The results of the trials showed significant satisfaction in the effectiveness on the pleated masks
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Alkhateeb, Norah, Reem Almubarak, Shatha Aldurayb, et al. "Evaluation of expelled droplets through traditional Islamic face coverings." Annals of Saudi Medicine 42, no. 5 (2022): 299–304. http://dx.doi.org/10.5144/0256-4947.2022.299.
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BACKGROUND: Expelled droplet count is an important factor when investigating the efficacy of face coverings since higher droplet counts indicate an increased possibility of disease transmission for airborne viruses such as COVID-19. While there is some published work relating facemask style to expelled droplet count during speech, there is no published data regarding the effectiveness of traditional Islamic face coverings such as the ghutra and niqab commonly worn by men and women in the Arabian Peninsula. OBJECTIVES: Measure the effectiveness of worn traditional Islamic face coverings in reducing expelled droplet count during speech. DESIGN: Experimental study SETTING: Biomedical engineering department at a university in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a previously described low-cost method for quantifying expelled droplets, this study compares droplet counts through commonly worn traditional Islamic face coverings and conventional three-ply surgical masks worn during speech. The device records scattered light from droplets (>5 μm diameter) as they pass through a laser light sheet (520 nm), and then video processing yields droplet counts. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percent reduction in the number of expelled droplets passing through face coverings during speech compared to no face covering MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 9-15 recorded samples per face covering (n=3) plus no face covering control (n=1) in three females. RESULTS: The average percent reduction for each mask type compared to no mask trial was 76% for the cotton ghutra, 93% for the niqab, and 95% for the surgical mask. The niqab and ghutra had relatively high variability in droplet reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Traditional Islamic face coverings block some expelled droplets, but at lower rates than surgical masks. High standard deviations within facemask groups with high variability in fit (i.e., the cotton ghutra) further denote the importance of fit in face covering effectiveness. Some protection from airborne viruses is likely with traditional Islamic face coverings compared to no mask, but the amount of protection depends on the fit of the face covering. LIMITATIONS: Detectable droplets limited to particles greater than 5 μm diameter with forward expulsion direction. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.
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Holz, Adrienne. "Ideological Consistency and News Sharing as Predictors of Masking Among College Students." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 12 (2024): 1652. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21121652.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the use of well-fitting face masks or respirators as a strategy to reduce respiratory transmission; however, acceptance and utilization of face masks quickly became a contentious, politically charged matter. Given the effectiveness of masking against respiratory viruses, it is critical to understand the various normative factors and personal values associated with mask wearing. To this end, this study reports the findings of an online, cross-sectional survey (n = 1231) of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings show that ideological consistency, sharing news to create awareness, and sharing unverified news significantly predict masking behaviors, though ideological consistency most substantially explained variance in self-reported masking behaviors. Participants with more liberal political ideologies reported greater adherence to masking policies while those with more conservative ideologies reported less mask-wearing behavior. A better understanding of the predictors of masking behaviors, particularly how political ideologies continue to shape public health responses, is essential for designing more effective communication strategies to control disease spread and help inform strategies for future outbreaks. Study implications and limitations are discussed.
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Mateo, Elvano, and Nayaka Putri Anastasya. "Effectiveness of Mask Distribution and Community Counseling in Covid-19 Prevention: A Mixed-Methods Study." TRIDARMA: Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat (PkM) 6, no. 2 (2023): 79–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.35335/abdimas.v6i2.5008.
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 This research investigates the effectiveness of distributing masks and providing counseling to local communities in preventing the spread of Covid-19. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study utilizes a quasi-experimental design to compare outcomes between intervention and control groups. Participants from diverse communities receive masks through distribution channels and participate in counseling sessions covering Covid-19 prevention strategies. Quantitative data, including surveys on mask usage and infection rates, are complemented by qualitative data from focus group discussions and interviews to provide a comprehensive analysis. Findings indicate a significant reduction in infection rates and improvements in mask usage and community knowledge among intervention groups. Implications for public health policy and practice are discussed, highlighting the importance of multifaceted interventions and community engagement in pandemic response efforts. Limitations of the study include the quasi-experimental design and reliance on self-reported data. Overall, the research contributes to our understanding of effective strategies for mitigating Covid-19 transmission and building resilient communities in the face of pandemics.
 
 
 
 
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Etuk, Ubong, Imeh Umoren, Odudu Umoren, and Saviour Inyang. "Realtime-Based System for Facemask Detection Using PCA, with CNN and COCO Model." Journal of Information Systems and Informatics 6, no. 2 (2024): 1114–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.51519/journalisi.v6i2.759.
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The instant spread of COVID-19 has underscored the need for effective measures such as wearing face masks to control transmission. As a response, facemask detection systems using advanced machine learning techniques have become essential for ensuring compliance and public safety. This research focused on developing a system for detecting facemask usage using a hybridized approach comprising of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and the Common Objects in Context (COCO) model. A hybridized detection model is often explored to enhance the precision and efficiency of previous methods that leveraged traditional machine learning or deep learning for the same task. Hence, this system effectively identifies whether individuals are properly wearing masks, not wearing masks at all, or wearing masks improperly from images and real-time video streams using bounding boxes. The results demonstrate that the hybrid approach achieves high accuracy in detecting various facemask conditions across different scenarios. Evaluation metrics such as Average Precision (AP) and Average Recall (AR) indicate the model's robustness, with a reported AP value of 70% and an AR value of 81%, primarily evaluated on larger objects within images. Further evaluations involving different individuals and types of facemasks revealed variability in detection accuracy, highlighting the model's effectiveness and areas for improvement. Nevertheless, the development and deployment of facemask detection systems are crucial for managing public health and ensuring safety in the face of ongoing and future pandemics.
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Hita, Rana, Momin Mohmmedirfan, Patel Shashank, and Sodha Pradipsinh. "Protective Effect and Community Acceptance of Different Types of Face Mask against COVID-19 in Surat City: A Case Control Study." International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 16, no. 8 (2024): 144–49. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13381451.
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<strong>Introduction:</strong> World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 crisis as a pandemic in March 2020. World Health Organization as well as various authorities issued health advice to prevent spread of COVID-19. Wearing face mask is regarded as one of the most effective ways to prevent COVID-19 transmission. It is essential to look into the factors influencing people’s willingness to wear masks. <strong>Objective:</strong> To explore the preference of community towards various types of face masks and the extent of adoption towards it. To determine the protective effect of various types of facemasks. <strong>Methodology:</strong> 30 Cases were randomly selected from each zone of Surat city, so total sample size was 240 Cases and 240 Controls were selected by matching. Pre-designed, semi-structured questionnaire was used along with self-design Likert’s scale at the end of interview to collect the information about community willingness and hurdles about mask wearing for face mask acceptance. Data was entered in MS Excel and was analyzed and compared using appropriate statistical methods. <strong>Results: </strong>Participants who wore mask were having 92% less risk of COVID-19 as compared to those who did not wear mask (OR: 0.0862, 95% CI: 0.0852-0.0872) and the difference between these two groups was statistically significant. (χ2: 51.2007, DF: 1, p=0.00001) Participants who wore triple layer and N-95 were having 79% less risk of COVID-19 as compared to those who wore cloth or cloth mask (OR: 0.213, 95% CI: 0.11-0.31) the difference between these two groups was statistically significant. (χ2: 52.4879, DF: 1, p=0.00001) There was also various factors contributing towards community willingness for face mask wearing. Effectiveness, comfort level, affordability, troublesome, appearance, health consciousness, misbeliefs, personal habits, fear, government action etc. factors were significantly contributing in prevention of COVID-19 infection. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Protective effect of N95 mask is substantially higher as compared to no mask or cloth mask. Mask-wearing can be helpful in reducing the risk of silent transmission. There was a significant role of prophylactic measures like face masks in prevention and control of COVID-19 infection.
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Eslava-Schmalbach, Javier, Eric B. Rosero, and Nathaly Garzón-Orjuela. "Global control of COVID-19: good vaccines may not suffice." Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública 45 (December 10, 2021): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.26633/rpsp.2021.148.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled health and socioeconomic inequities around the globe. Effective epidemic control requires the achievement of herd immunity, where susceptible individuals are conferred indirect protection by being surrounded by immunized individuals. The proportion of people that need to be vaccinated to obtain herd immunity is determined through the herd immunity threshold. However, the number of susceptible individuals and the opportunities for contact between infectious and susceptible individuals influence the progress of an epidemic. Thus, in addition to vaccination, control of a pandemic may be difficult or impossible to achieve without other public health measures, including wearing face masks and social distancing. This article discusses the factors that may contribute to herd immunity and control of COVID-19 through the availability of effective vaccines and describes how vaccine effectiveness in the community may be lower than that expected. It also discusses how pandemic control in some countries and populations may face vaccine accessibility barriers if market forces strongly regulate the new technologies available, according to the inverse care law.
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Lee, Su-Hwa, Ki-Back Chu, Hae-Ji Kang, Min-Ju Kim, Eun-Kyung Moon, and Fu-Shi Quan. "Respiratory virus deterrence induced by modified mask filter." PLOS ONE 16, no. 9 (2021): e0257827. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257827.
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Airborne transmission of infectious respiratory pathogens is a significant health hazard for the general public as well as healthcare professionals. Face masks have been frequently utilized as safety measures to limit the transmission of these infectious aerosolized particles. However, the efficacy of face masks in reducing respiratory virus infectivity and pathogenicity is unknown. Improving the effectiveness of masks in blocking viruses is urgently needed. In this study, surgical mask filters were modified by coating the filters with 1, 3, or 5 M of sodium dihydrogen phosphate, and subsequently exposed to the aerosolized respiratory influenza viruses (A/H3N2, A/H5N1) generated by a nebulizer set. Mask filter modification significantly reduced the size and counts of filter pores, which enabled entrapment of 40–60% of aerosolized viruses (captured viruses) with more than 90% of the captured viruses losing their infectivity. Upon contact with the coated mask filters, both the captured viruses and the viruses that managed to bypass the filter pore (passed viruses) were found to be inactivated. Passed viruses demonstrated significantly reduced pathogenicity in mice as indicated by significantly reduced lung virus titers, bodyweight loss, and prolonged survival compared to bare control. These findings highlight the potential of modified mask filters for reducing viral activity and pathogenicity, which contributes to improving facial mask efficacy as well as limiting airborne pathogen transmission.
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Jahangiri, Mehdi, Vahid Gharibi, Enayat Berizi, et al. "P-253 AN IN-DEPTH EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDICAL FACE MASKS WORN BY HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN IRAN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC." Occupational Medicine 74, Supplement_1 (2024): 0. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqae023.0825.
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Abstract Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the production of medical face masks (MFM) as an affordable solution for personal protection against the highly contagious respiratory coronavirus. However, many domestically produced masks were introduced into workplaces without going through quality control processes. The effectiveness of a large number of MFM produced in Iran was untested, so the study aimed to evaluate the performance of MFM produced in Iran that are used by healthcare workers. Methods The study used two laboratory setups to evaluate bacterial filtration efficiency and differential pressure according to Standard EN14683:2019, and to assess features of the melt-blown layer using scanning electron microscope images. Samples were taken from ten uncertified brands of MFM commonly used by healthcare workers and five certified brands of MFM. Results The quality factor of the Reference Sample was nearly twice as high as that of the Test Sample. There was a positive correlation between bacterial filtration efficiency and quality factor and melt-blown layer grammage, and a negative correlation between fiber diameter and porosity. Discussion There was a high positive correlation between layer grammage and quality factor. Conclusion The uncertified MFM provides insufficient protection for healthcare workers, as they typically do not meet the recognized Standard for use as personal protective equipment.
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Loganathan, Tharani, Amirah Zafirah Zaini, Watinee Kunpeuk, et al. "Challenges faced by migrant populations in complying with public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia: A qualitative study." BMJ Public Health 2, no. 2 (2024): e000923. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2024-000923.
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IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted migrants in Malaysia, raising concerns about the effectiveness of public health measures. This study aims to investigate challenges faced by migrant populations in complying with public health measures during the pandemic.MethodsWe conducted 29 in-depth interviews with stakeholders between April 2022 and February 2023. Thematic analysis was conducted, and results were organised by major COVID-19 public health measures: (1) movement restrictions, (2) non-pharmaceutical interventions, (3) COVID-19 screening and testing and (4) quarantine, isolation and hospitalisations.ResultsMigrants encountered difficulties complying with the movement control orders due to livelihood crises and a lack of understanding of regulations. Financial constraints hindered migrants’ ability to purchase quality face masks, and they lacked the comprehension of the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions for disease prevention. In the absence of government intervention, non-governmental organisations and international organisations played an important role in providing essential food aid, health information, face masks and hygiene products, and other services to migrants. Despite encouragement to seek testing and treatment, migrants were deterred by fear of immigration enforcement and unaffordable fees. Overcrowded living conditions made physical distancing, isolation and quarantine challenging. Many avoided government-designated quarantine centres due to financial constraints and fear of arrest. Delayed medical treatment may have resulted in high COVID-19 mortality among migrants.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant health disparities experienced by migrants in Malaysia, including the double health and livelihood crises, and limited access to essential health information, resources, healthcare and social protection. Urgent reforms are needed to ensure migrant-inclusive health policies, enhance outbreak preparedness and prevent unnecessary suffering and deaths among migrants during both pandemic and non-pandemic periods.
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Verberk, Janneke D. M., Sibyl A. Anthierens, Sarah Tonkin-Crine, et al. "Experiences and needs of persons living with a household member infected with SARS-CoV-2: A mixed method study." PLOS ONE 16, no. 3 (2021): e0249391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249391.
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Background Households are important sites for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and preventive measures are recommended. This study aimed to 1) investigate the impact of living with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2; 2) understand how household members implemented infection control recommendations in their home; and 3) identify the information and support needs of household members. Methods For this observational mixed-methods study, households with a person with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were recruited via drive-through testing sites of Municipal Health Services, healthcare worker screening or hospital emergency visits in the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands and via primary care physicians, hospital emergency visits or preoperative screening in the University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium. We recorded household characteristics, including characteristics of all household members, together with their views on prevention measures. In a subset of households one adult household member was asked to participate in an interview investigating their views on preventive measures. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and interview data by rapid framework analysis. A triangulation protocol was used to integrate findings. Results Thirty-four households (120 household members) were included in the quantitative survey. Twenty-two households were invited to be interviewed, of which 18 completed an interview (response 81.8%). Survey data showed that almost all households implemented some preventive measures, the use of face masks being least frequently reported. Measures taken depended on what was physically possible, the perceived severity of illness of the index patient and to what extent household members were willing to limit social interaction. Respondents did not believe in the effectiveness of wearing face masks within the house, and from the interviews this was explained by media coverage of face masks, impracticality and the stigma associated with wearing masks. Interviewees reported that quarantine had a high emotional burden and wished to have more information about the exact duration of quarantine, their own COVID-19 status, symptoms and when to seek medical help. Conclusion People were willing to implement prevention measures, however actual adherence depended on perceived severity of illness and the perceived risk of becoming infected. Homes are social environments and recommendations for infection prevention should account for this context. Incorporating our findings into policy making could provide households with more relevant and actionable advice.
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Man, Qiaoyue, Young-Im Cho, Seong-Geun Jang, and Hae-Jeung Lee. "Transformer-Based GAN for New Hairstyle Generative Networks." Electronics 11, no. 13 (2022): 2106. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/electronics11132106.
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Traditional GAN-based image generation networks cannot accurately and naturally fuse surrounding features in local image generation tasks, especially in hairstyle generation tasks. To this end, we propose a novel transformer-based GAN for new hairstyle generation networks. The network framework comprises two modules: Face segmentation (F) and Transformer Generative Hairstyle (TGH) modules. The F module is used for the detection of facial and hairstyle features and the extraction of global feature masks and facial feature maps. In the TGH module, we design a transformer-based GAN to generate hairstyles and fix the details of the fusion part of faces and hairstyles in the new hairstyle generation process. To verify the effectiveness of our model, CelebA-HQ (Large-scale CelebFaces Attribute) and FFHQ (Flickr-Faces-HQ) are adopted to train and test our proposed model. In the image evaluation test used, FID, PSNR, and SSIM image evaluation methods are used to test our model and compare it with other excellent image generation networks. Our proposed model is more robust in terms of test scores and real image generation.
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Ye, Haocun, Xinlong Jiang, Chenlong Gao, Bingyu Wang, Wuliang Huang, and Yiqiang Chen. "VersaFusion: A Versatile Diffusion-Based Framework for Fine-Grained Image Editing and Enhancement." Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence 39, no. 9 (2025): 9445–53. https://doi.org/10.1609/aaai.v39i9.33023.
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Text-to-image (T2I) diffusion models have achieved remarkable progress in generating realistic images from textual descriptions. However, ensuring consistent high-quality image generation with complete backgrounds, object appearance, and optimal texture rendering remains challenging. This paper presents a novel fine-grained pixel-level image editing method based on pre-trained diffusion models. The proposed dual-branch architecture, consisting of Guidance and Generation branches, employs U-Net Denoisers and Self-Attention mechanisms. An improved DDIM-like inversion method obtains the latent representation, followed by multiple denoising steps. Cross-branch interactions, such as KV Replacement, Classifier Guidance, and Feature Correspondence, enable precise control while preserving image fidelity. The iterative refinement and reconstruction process facilitates finegrained editing control, supporting attribute modification, image outpainting, style transfer, and face synthesis with Clickand-Drag style editing using masks. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in enhancing the quality and controllability of T2I-generated images, surpassing existing methods while maintaining attractive computational complexity for practical real-world applications.
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Jiang, Xinbei, Tianhan Gao, Zichen Zhu, and Yukang Zhao. "Real-Time Face Mask Detection Method Based on YOLOv3." Electronics 10, no. 7 (2021): 837. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/electronics10070837.
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The rapid outbreak of COVID-19 has caused serious harm and infected tens of millions of people worldwide. Since there is no specific treatment, wearing masks has become an effective method to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and is required in most public areas, which has also led to a growing demand for automatic real-time mask detection services to replace manual reminding. However, few studies on face mask detection are being conducted. It is urgent to improve the performance of mask detectors. In this paper, we proposed the Properly Wearing Masked Face Detection Dataset (PWMFD), which included 9205 images of mask wearing samples with three categories. Moreover, we proposed Squeeze and Excitation (SE)-YOLOv3, a mask detector with relatively balanced effectiveness and efficiency. We integrated the attention mechanism by introducing the SE block into Darknet53 to obtain the relationships among channels so that the network can focus more on the important feature. We adopted GIoUloss, which can better describe the spatial difference between predicted and ground truth boxes to improve the stability of bounding box regression. Focal loss was utilized for solving the extreme foreground-background class imbalance. Besides, we performed corresponding image augmentation techniques to further improve the robustness of the model on the specific task. Experimental results showed that SE-YOLOv3 outperformed YOLOv3 and other state-of-the-art detectors on PWMFD and achieved a higher 8.6% mAP compared to YOLOv3 while having a comparable detection speed.
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Alatawi, Adel, and Abba B. Gumel. "Mathematical assessment of control strategies against the spread of MERS-CoV in humans and camels in Saudi Arabia." Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering 21, no. 7 (2024): 6425–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.3934/mbe.2024281.
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A new mathematical model for the transmission dynamics and control of the Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS), a respiratory virus caused by MERS-CoV <i>coronavirus</i> (and primarily spread to humans by dromedary camels) that first emerged out of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2012, was designed and used to study the transmission dynamics of the disease in a human-camel population within the KSA. Rigorous analysis of the model, which was fitted and cross-validated using the observed MERS-CoV data for the KSA, showed that its disease-free equilibrium was locally asymptotically stable whenever its reproduction number (denoted by $ {\mathbb R}_{0M} $) was less than unity. Using the fixed and estimated parameters of the model, the value of $ {\mathbb R}_{0M} $ for the KSA was estimated to be 0.84, suggesting that the prospects for MERS-CoV elimination are highly promising. The model was extended to allow for the assessment of public health intervention strategies, notably the potential use of vaccines for both humans and camels and the use of face masks by humans in public or when in close proximity with camels. Simulations of the extended model showed that the use of the face mask by humans who come in close proximity with camels, as a sole public health intervention strategy, significantly reduced human-to-camel and camel-to-human transmission of the disease, and this reduction depends on the efficacy and coverage of the mask type used in the community. For instance, if surgical masks are prioritized, the disease can be eliminated in both the human and camel population if at least 45% of individuals who have close contact with camels wear them consistently. The simulations further showed that while vaccinating humans as a sole intervention strategy only had marginal impact in reducing the disease burden in the human population, an intervention strategy based on vaccinating camels only resulted in a significant reduction in the disease burden in camels (and, consequently, in humans as well). Thus, this study suggests that attention should be focused on effectively combating the disease in the camel population, rather than in the human population. Furthermore, the extended model was used to simulate a hybrid strategy, which combined vaccination of both humans and camels as well as the use of face masks by humans. This simulation showed a marked reduction of the disease burden in both humans and camels, with an increasing effectiveness level of this intervention, in comparison to the baseline scenario or any of the aforementioned sole vaccination scenarios. In summary, this study showed that the prospect of the elimination of MERS-CoV-2 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is promising using pharmaceutical (vaccination) and nonpharmaceutical (mask) intervention strategies, implemented in isolation or (preferably) in combination, that are focused on reducing the disease burden in the camel population.
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Gayathri, K. V., and G. A. Divya. "Effectiveness of Homemade Turmeric Mask in Reducing Chloasma Faciei Among Women at Selected Villages, Kolar, Karnataka, India." D Y Patil Journal of Health Sciences 12, no. 4 (2024): 151–55. https://doi.org/10.4103/dypj.dypj_27_24.
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Abstract Background: Chloasma faciei is a patchy macular hyperpigmentation of the face that usually affects women of reproductive age, most often after childbirth. Melanoma cells produce more melanin in response to several aggravating factors. A study was conducted to discover the effectiveness of the homemade turmeric mask for chloasma faciei. Materials and Methods: A pretest, posttest, control group, and design study was conducted on 100 women (50 experimental group and 50 control group) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria at selected villages. The data were gathered from women who had cholasma faciei using a standardized Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) scale and digital photography using a one-to-one technique. Followed by, the application of a homemade facial turmeric mask for the experimental group, which was prepared instantly and administered for 10 min, Every alternate day the treatment was given for 2 months. After 60 days, using the MASI scale and digital photography the score was calculated in both the experimental and control groups. Data were calculated and analyzed. Results: The major findings revealed that in the experimental group, the post-intervention value showed that the area of involvement was 0.0023 less than the pre-intervention score of 0.0052. Darkness was 0.0015, which was lesser than the pre-intervention score of 0.0037, in homogeneity the pre-intervention score of 0.0083 was greater than a post-intervention score of 0.0014. In the control group, there was no change in the pre- and post-intervention scores. Conclusion: This study concludes that homemade turmeric masks were effective in reducing chloasma faciei.
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Maraghi, Elham, Maryam Hajmohammadi, and Amal Saki Malehi. "Effectiveness of using face masks and personal protective equipment to reducing the spread of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case–control studies." Advanced Biomedical Research 12, no. 1 (2023): 36. http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/abr.abr_337_21.
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He, Libo, Zhenping Qiang, Xiaofeng Shao, Hong Lin, Meijiao Wang, and Fei Dai. "Research on High-Resolution Face Image Inpainting Method Based on StyleGAN." Electronics 11, no. 10 (2022): 1620. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/electronics11101620.
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In face image recognition and other related applications, incomplete facial imagery due to obscuring factors during acquisition represents an issue that requires solving. Aimed at tackling this issue, the research surrounding face image completion has become an important topic in the field of image processing. Face image completion methods require the capability of capturing the semantics of facial expression. A deep learning network has been widely shown to bear this ability. However, for high-resolution face image completion, the network training of high-resolution image inpainting is difficult to converge, thus rendering high-resolution face image completion a difficult problem. Based on the study of the deep learning model of high-resolution face image generation, this paper proposes a high-resolution face inpainting method. First, our method extracts the latent vector of the face image to be repaired through ResNet, then inputs the latent vector to the pre-trained StyleGAN model to generate the face image. Next, it calculates the loss between the known part of the face image to be repaired and the corresponding part of the generated face imagery. Afterward, the latent vector is cut to generate a new face image iteratively until the number of iterations is reached. Finally, the Poisson fusion method is employed to process the last generated face image and the face image to be repaired in order to eliminate the difference in boundary color information of the repaired image. Through the comparison and analysis between two classical face completion methods in recent years on the CelebA-HQ data set, we discovered our method can achieve better completion results of 256*256 resolution face image completion. For 1024*1024 resolution face image restoration, we have also conducted a large number of experiments, which prove the effectiveness of our method. Our method can obtain a variety of repair results by editing the latent vector. In addition, our method can be successfully applied to face image editing, face image watermark clearing and other applications without the network training process of different masks in these applications.
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Laumbach, Robert J., and Kevin R. Cromar. "Personal Interventions to Reduce Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution." Annual Review of Public Health 43, no. 1 (2022): 293–309. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052120-103607.
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Unhealthy levels of air pollution are breathed by billions of people worldwide, and air pollution is the leading environmental cause of death and disability globally. Efforts to reduce air pollution at its many sources have had limited success, and in many areas of the world, poor air quality continues to worsen. Personal interventions to reduce exposure to air pollution include avoiding sources, staying indoors, filtering indoor air, using face masks, and limiting physical activity when and where air pollution levels are elevated. The effectiveness of these interventions varies widely with circumstances and conditions of use. Compared with upstream reduction or control of emissions, personal interventions place burdens and risk of adverse unintended consequences on individuals. We review evidence regarding the balance of benefits and potential harms of personal interventions for reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution, which merit careful consideration before making public health recommendations with regard to who should use personal interventions and where, when, and how they should be used.
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Tan, Aidan Lyanzhiang, Sheryl Hui-Xian Ng, and Michelle Jessica Pereira. "Singapore’s COVID-19 “circuit breaker” interventions: A description of individual-level adoptions of precautionary behaviours." Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 50, no. 8 (2021): 613–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.2020597.
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ABSTRACT Introduction: Effectiveness of COVID-19 control interventions relies significantly on behavioural modifications of its population. Differing adoption rates impacts subsequent COVID-19 control. Hence, positive and sustained behavioural modification is essential for disease control. We describe the adoption rates of behavioural modifications for Singapore’s “circuit-breaker” (CB), the national public health response to the COVID-19 crisis, among the general population in the community. Methods: We conducted an interrupted-time series study using retrospective secondary data. We compared the proportion of Singaporeans who reported adopting specific behaviour modifications before, during and after CB. Behaviours of interest were working from home, performing hand hygiene, using face mask in public, and avoiding crowded areas. We compared change in incidence rates for community COVID-19 cases among the general population across the same time periods. Results: There was an increase in face mask usage (+46.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 34.9–58.8, P<0.01) and working from home (+20.4%, 95% CI 11.7–29.2, P<0.01) during CB than before CB in Singapore. Other self-reported behaviours showed no statistically significant difference. Change in daily incidence rates of community COVID-19 cases decreased from additional 0.73 daily case before CB to 0.55 fewer case per day during CB (P<0.01). There was no significant difference among all behaviour adoption rates after CB. Daily incidence of community cases continued to decrease by 0.11 case daily after CB. Conclusion: Community incidence of COVID-19 in Singapore decreased during CB and remained low after CB. Use of face masks and social-distancing compliance through working from home increased during CB. However, it is unlikely to influence other sources of COVID-19 such as imported cases or within foreign worker dormitories. Keywords: Behaviours, COVID-19, public health
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Manchikanti, Laxmaiah. "Infection Control Practices (Safe Injection and Medication Vial Utilization) for Interventional Techniques: Are They Based on Relative Risk Management or Evidence?" Pain Physician 5;14, no. 5;9 (2011): 434. http://dx.doi.org/10.36076/ppj.2011/14/425.
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Background: Recently, multiple regulations and recommendations for safe infection control practices and safe injection and medication vial utilization have been implemented. These include single dose and multi-dose vials for a single patient and regulations. It is a well known fact that transmission of bloodborne pathogens during health care procedures continues to occur because of the use of unsafe and improper injection, infusion, and medication administration. Multiple case reports have been published illustrating the occurrence of infections in interventional pain management and other minor techniques because of lack of safe injection practices, and noncompliance with other precautions. However, there are no studies or case reports illustrating the transmission of infection due to the use of single dose vials in multiple patients when appropriate precautions are observed. Similarly, the preparation standards for simple procedures such as medial branch blocks or transforaminal epidurals have not been proven to be essential. Further, the effectiveness or necessity of surgical face masks and hats, etc., for interventional techniques has not been proven. Objective: To assess the rates of infection in patients undergoing interventional techniques. Study Design: A prospective, non-randomized study of patients undergoing interventional techniques from May 2008 to December 2009. Study Setting: An interventional pain management practice, a specialty referral center, a private practice setting in the United States. Methods: All patients presenting for interventional techniques from May 2008 to December 2009 are included with documentation of various complications related to interventional techniques including infection. Results: May 2008 to December 2009 a total of 3,179 patients underwent 12,000 encounters with 18,472 procedures. A total of 12 patients reported suspicion of infection. All of them were evaluated by a physician and only one of them was a superficial infection due to the patient’s poor hygienic practices which required no antibiotic therapy. Limitations: Limitations include the nonrandomized observational nature of the study. Conclusion: There were no infections of any significance noted in approximately 3,200 patients with over 18,000 procedures performed during a 20 month period in an ambulatory surgery center utilizing simple precautions for clean procedures with the use of single dose vials for multiple patients and using safe injection practices. Clinical Trial Registrion: NCT00625248 Key words: Interventional pain management, interventional techniques, complications, infection, safe injection practices, single dose vials, multi-dose vials, surgical face masks, relative risk.
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Kumar, Pankaj, Aruba Sohail, Mir Umer Farooq Alam Shah, Maman Khurshid, Farah Yasmin, and Muhammad Sohaib Asghar. "Self-Reported Compliance with Personal Preventive Measures among Office Workers After Work Resumption during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Pakistan." American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 105, no. 6 (2021): 1498–504. http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0570.
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ABSTRACT. As the lockdowns have been lifted to relieve pressure on the economy, strict adherence to personal preventive measures (PPMs) in offices is essential to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated self-reported compliance with three PPMs among a sample of office workers in Karachi, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey with participants were adult office workers who had resumed work in Karachi, Pakistan. All full-time employees aged ≥ 18 years who had resumed work in the offices were invited to complete the survey. Of 487 workers who were invited, 411 (84.4%) completed the survey between March 1 and March 20, 2021. We examined the effects of sociodemographic factors, individual-level factors, interpersonal-level factors, and social-structural–level factors using logistic regression models. Of the total sample, 192 (46.7%) reported always wearing a face mask in the workplace. Self-reported sanitizing of hands (46.0%) was comparable to use of face masks, whereas avoiding crowded places (21.2%) was less common. Perceived effectiveness of individual preventive measures (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] from 1.19 to 1.42; confidence intervals (CIs) 1.04–1.37 to CI 1.18–1.71), perceived effectiveness of governmental preventive measures (AORs from 1.23 to 1.39 CI 1.02–1.47 to CI 1.12–1.72), and number of preventive measures implemented by the office (AORs from 1.20 to 1.26 CI 1.09–1.31 to CI 1.13–1.39) were associated with self-reported compliance with PPMs. Perceived preparedness of medical system in Karachi (AOR 1.44, CI 1.08–1.93) was only associated with self-reported sanitizing of hands. Reduced compliance to PPMs was observed; hence, efforts need to be made to ensure strict adherence to PPMs.
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Unger, Kyirsty, Leslie Dietz, Patrick Horve, et al. "Evaluating fomite risk of brown paper bags storing personal protective equipment exposed to SARS-CoV-2: A quasi-experimental study." PLOS ONE 17, no. 8 (2022): e0273433. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273433.
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Introduction Literature is lacking on the safety of storing contaminated PPE in paper bags for reuse, potentially increasing exposure to frontline healthcare workers (HCW) and patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of paper bags as a barrier for fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by storing face masks, respirators, and face shields. Methods This quasi-experimental study evaluated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the interior and exterior surfaces of paper bags containing PPE that had aerosolized exposures in clinical and simulated settings. Between May and October 2020, 30 unique PPE items were collected from COVID-19 units at two urban hospitals. Exposed PPE, worn by either an infected patient or HCW during a SARS-CoV-2 aerosolizing event, were placed into an unused paper bag. Samples were tested at 30-minute and 12-hour intervals. Results A total of 177 swabs were processed from 30 PPE samples. We found a 6.8% positivity rate among all samples across both collection sites. Highest positivity rates were associated with ventilator disconnection and exposure to respiratory droplets from coughing. Positivity rates differed between hospital units. Total positivity rates were similar between 30-minute (6.7%) and 12-hour (6.9%) sample testing time intervals. Control samples exposed to inactivated SARS-CoV-2 droplets had higher total viral counts than samples exposed to nebulized aerosols. Conclusions Data suggests paper bags are not a significant fomite risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, controls demonstrated a risk with droplet exposure. Data can inform guidelines for storing and re-using PPE in situations of limited supplies during future pandemics.
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Fuster-Parra, Pilar, Aina Huguet-Torres, Enrique Castro-Sánchez, Miquel Bennasar-Veny, and Aina M. Yañez. "Identifying the interplay between protective measures and settings on the SARS-CoV-2 transmission using a Bayesian network." PLOS ONE 19, no. 7 (2024): e0307041. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0307041.
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Contact tracing played a crucial role in minimizing the onward dissemination of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the recent pandemic. Previous studies had also shown the effectiveness of preventive measures such as mask-wearing, physical distancing, and exposure duration in reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the impact of various exposure settings on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 within the community, as well as the most effective preventive measures, considering the preventive measures adherence in different daily scenarios. We aimed to evaluate the effect of individual protective measures and exposure settings on the community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the interaction between different exposure settings and preventive measures in relation to such SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Routine SARS-CoV-2 contact tracing information was supplemented with additional data on individual measures and exposure settings collected from index patients and their close contacts. We used a case-control study design, where close contacts with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 were classified as cases, and those with negative results classified as controls. We used the data collected from the case-control study to construct a Bayesian network (BN). BNs enable predictions for new scenarios when hypothetical information is introduced, making them particularly valuable in epidemiological studies. Our results showed that ventilation and time of exposure were the main factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In long time exposure, ventilation was the most effective factor in reducing SARS-CoV-2, while masks and physical distance had on the other hand a minimal effect in this ventilation spaces. However, face masks and physical distance did reduce the risk in enclosed and unventilated spaces. Distance did not reduce the risk of infection when close contacts wore a mask. Home exposure presented a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and any preventive measures posed a similar risk across all exposure settings analyzed. Bayesian network analysis can assist decision-makers in refining public health campaigns, prioritizing resources for individuals at higher risk, and offering personalized guidance on specific protective measures tailored to different settings or environments.
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Rezk, Ayman, Juveiriah M. Ashraf, Wafa Alnaqbi, et al. "Study of Mask Fibers for Protection Against SARS-Cov-2 Via Luminescent Aerosolized Silicon Nanoparticles." ECS Meeting Abstracts MA2022-01, no. 20 (2022): 1099. http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/ma2022-01201099mtgabs.
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A highly contagious respiratory virus called SARS-CoV-2 began in Wuhan, China in end of 2019. It initiated a world-wide pandemic in 2020. Countries took extreme actions to avoid the transmission of such virus by implying restrictions in wearing personal protective equipment, which includes wearing masks [1-6]. The main reason behind the spread of this viral disease is sneezing and coughing, rendering the wearing of masks highly important for personal protection. Masks are usually used to prevent the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers to those who are in contact with them, wherein the mask filters the microorganisms from getting into the respiratory secretions. A common type of mask that is used due to its wide availability is the polyethylene (PE) filter mask. In this work, 3 nm silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) were used to model the SARS-CoV-2. The specific Si-NPs were chosen due to their chemical activity, ultra-small nature, easy attachment to other materials through chemical bonding, high luminescence and hydrophobicity, which makes clusters of diameters of 100-300 nm, which is similar to the virus size. Both N95 and surgical masks are investigated in this work using the Si-NPs. Si-NPs were used to examine the filtering process of the mask. The developed Si-NPs were dispersed in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and filled into spraying bottle. The spraying bottle produces a cloud of droplets ranging from 40 to 900 mm, which is used to mimic the sneeze, where the droplets size is between 20 to 900 mm per spray. Testing the spraying was done on a Si wafer under UV radiation to picture the dropping pattern of the particles on the surface. To visualize the filtering process of the mask, we placed the mask between the prepared spraying bottle and 3x3 cm Si wafer that is mounted over a foam surface and above table surface. The testing conditions were carried in constant mode. The N95 mask fibers were studied by optical imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The SEM image show that the fibers have diameter of about 25 mm and that the roughness and surface typography is random. The mask fibers trap the Si-NPs creating clusters of fibers around it, which is not detected in the mask without the NPs. To examine the mask under UV, a luminescence image was taken for the mask with NPs and without NPs. The image shows bright red/orange luminescence for the mask with NPs, which indicates nano particles bonded to the fibers as a SARS-CoV-2 would do. A section of the N95 mask was taken and studied under UV light. The mask with the sprayed NPs showed very bright luminescence emitted from the mask fibers, which is not noticed without the NPs. To summarize, aerosolized Si nanoparticles were used visualize how mask are used to filter out SARS-CoV-2. A setup was created to test the mask, where Si-NPs were sprayed on to the mask from certain distance and a UV- induced fluorescence was used to observe the NPs being sprayed and reaching masks. The study showed that mask fibers are good at filtering nano-scale virus that led to infections. This indicates that the mask filter is effective in preventing the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. References [1] “Timeline: WHO's COVID-19 response,” World Health Organization. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/interactive-timeline#event-0. [Accessed: 10-Nov-2020]. [2] S. Verma, M. Dhanak, and J. Frankenfield, “Visualizing the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing respiratory jets,” Physics of Fluids, vol. 32, no. 6, p. 061708, 2020. [3] C. R. MacIntyre, S. Cauchemez, D. E. Dwyer, H. Seale, P. Cheung, G. Browne, M. Fasher, J. Wood, Z. Gao, R. Booy, and N. Ferguson, “Face Mask Use and Control of Respiratory Virus Transmission in Households,” Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 233–241, 2009. [4] J. W. Tang, T. J. Liebner, B. A. Craven, and G. S. Settles, “A schlieren optical study of the human cough with and without wearing masks for aerosol infection control,” Journal of The Royal Society Interface, vol. 6, no. suppl_6, 2009. [5] J. Xiao, E. Y. Shiu, H. Gao, J. Y. Wong, M. W. Fong, S. Ryu, and B. J. Cowling, “Nonpharmaceutical Measures for Pandemic Influenza in Nonhealthcare Settings—Personal Protective and Environmental Measures,” Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 26, no. 5, pp. 967–975, 2020. [6] V. K. Midha and A. Dakuri, “Spun bonding Technology and Fabric Properties: a Review,” Journal of Textile Engineering & Fashion Technology, vol. 1, no. 4, 2017. Figure 1
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Henny Hajaratul Aswat, Lenni Dianna Putri, and Andri Hidayat. "Compare the Effectiveness of a Peel-Off Mask and Sheet-Mask with Green Tea Extract on Dermapen-Treated Wounds on the Back Surface of Female Wistar Rats." Journal La Medihealtico 5, no. 1 (2024): 94–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.37899/journallamedihealtico.v5i1.1091.
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Microneedling has recently been cited as having high efficacy, safety, and recovery rates post-treatment. This microneedling procedure has shown results that increase patient satisfaction and awareness of doctors who want minimal treatment but still get maximum results for healing uneven skin on the face and acne scarring. The test and analysis of the difference in effectiveness between the use of a peel-off mask and a sheet mask in healing wounds treated with derma pen on the surface of the back skin of female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). This research approach uses experimental quantitative research methods, namely an actual experiment or laboratory experimental design. They used a pre-test – post-test control group design to determine and analyze the differences or comparisons in the effectiveness of using a peel-off mask and a sheet mask for wounds treated with a derma pen on the skin surface. The research subjects were 10 female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). The research procedure was the acclimation of test animals, phytochemical screening, treatment, and observation carried out on mice by administering dermapen wounds. The research data was analyzed using the SPSS program. In this study, Wistar strain white rats (Rattus norvegicus) with peel-off and sheet masks healed their wounds. Dermapen wounds heal after 14 days, as the average rat wound length shows. The peel-off mask group healed 100% on day 13, while the sheet-mask group healed 100% on day 12. Based on this percentage difference, the researchers found that the group with the fastest wound healing used a 12-day green tea sheet mask.
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Keating, Julie, Linda McKinley, Lin Zhao, et al. "The SHIELD Study: A preliminary analysis of nasal and oral antisepsis to prevent COVID-19." Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology 2, S1 (2022): s75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/ash.2022.199.
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Background: Povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine gluconate are commonly used antiseptics that have broad antiviral properties, including against SARS-CoV-2. Nasal and oral antisepsis is a possible option to reduce viral transmission; however, effectiveness data are limited. The acceptability of this method for adjunct infection control is also unknown. We are conducting a clinical randomized controlled trial (NCT04478019) to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of nasal and oral antisepsis to prevent COVID-19. Methods: Healthcare and other essential workers with in-person job duties were recruited into a 10-week clinical trial. Participation did not require in-person activities: all communication was web- or telephone-based, supplies were shipped directly to the participant, and participants self-collected specimens. Participants completed a 3-week intervention and 3-week control phases and were randomized to the timing of these phases (Fig. 1). During the 3-week intervention phase, participants applied povidone-iodine nasal swabs 2 times per day and chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse 4 times per day following the manufacturers’ instructions for use. Participants continued all usual infection control measures (eg, face masks, eye protection, gowns, hand hygiene) as required by their workplace. To measure effectiveness against viral transmission, participants collected midturbinate nasal swabs 3 times per week to measure SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Participants also self-reported COVID-19 tests they received and why (eg, symptoms or exposure). To assess acceptability, participants completed pre- and post-surveys about their perceived and actual experience with the interventions. Participants also self-reported adverse effects due to the intervention. Results: As of December 3, 2021, 221 participants (148 healthcare workers and 73 non–healthcare essential workers) had enrolled. Moreover, 20 adverse effects have been reported, including skin irritation, epistaxis, and mouth discoloration; 9 participants withdrew due to side effects. Laboratory analyses are ongoing to measure effectiveness in reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load. We performed an interim analysis of intervention acceptability. Survey responses were given on a Likert scale of 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely). Although 36% of respondents (n = 74) reported on the postsurvey that the intervention was less acceptable than they had expected on the presurvey, the overall acceptability measure was still relatively high (3.76) (Fig. 2). In addition, 76% of respondents reported that they would use the intervention in the future (n = 56). Conclusions: Participant recruitment is ongoing, and data continue to be collected to analyze effectiveness and feasibility. Preliminary data suggest that participants find the nasal and oral antisepsis intervention to be an acceptable option to complement standard infection control methods to prevent COVID-19.Funding: Professional Disposables International, Healthcare Division (PDIHC)Disclosures: None
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Badyin, I. "Rehabilitation in patients with involutional-dystrophic skin changes." Journal of Education, Health and Sport 11, no. 4 (2021): 185–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/jehs.2021.11.04.019.
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The study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation in patients with involutional-dystrophic skin changesMaterial and methods. The study was performed in the clinical department of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Medical Rehabilitation and Balneology of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as well as the Odessa Regional Clinical Medical Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Kherson Regional Clinical Hospital in 2016-2020.287 women of middle age (average age 46.47 ± 1.97 year) with signs of functional changes in the skin were involved in the study. All patients required rehabilitation of impaired skin function (code b810 by ICF, LA22123-6 by LOINC).General sample (n=287) was randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the control group (n = 187) received cosmetic measures in the form of ultrasonic peeling, cleansing, nourishing facial masks. Patients of the main group (n = 100) were injected intradermally and subcutaneously with platelet-enriched autoplasma up to 5 ml, which was obtained by double centrifugation.Ultrasound scanning of the skin and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) were used to assess the structural features of the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous fat. Dynamic control of skin structures included the study of the initial state of the skin at certain points of the face (center of the cheek, center of the forehead, outer corner of the eye), which we set as standard. Assessment of the effectiveness of the rehabilitation was performed before first procedure and in 3 and 6 months after it completion. Statistical processing was performed using software Statistica 13.0 (TIBCO, USA)Results. After 3 months of follow-up after PRP-therapy revealed even greater significant differences in the structural and functional parameters of the skin compared to baseline. There was an increase in the thickness of the epidermis by 16.7%, the level of hydration increased by 26.9%, the level of TEV by 29.5%, the oiliness of the skin or the level of seboregulation increased by 16.8% (p ≤ 0.05). Important characteristics of the protective effect of PRP therapy were an increase in the elastic properties of the skin by 31.8% and an increase in the microcirculatory network by 23.1% compared to baseline before the procedure of PRP therapy (p ≤ 0.05).Conclusion. The proposed method can be used as a stand-alone complex conservative therapeutic method of treatment and is used after surgery to rejuvenate the skin of the face and neck in people over 40 years. It has been shown that the effectiveness of restoring the functional state of the musculoskeletal corset of the face increases when using PRP at the same time as massage. It is substantiated that the combination of activation massage and regenerative stimulation by the introduction of PRP should be carried out simultaneously during treatment throughout the course.