1/Just updated scientific brief on community use of cloth masks to control the spread of #COVID19 from @CDCgov: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html

2/Important: "Masks also help reduce inhalation of these droplets by the wearer (“filtration for personal protection”)."

Previous data focused on reducing spread by an infected person (i.e., 'source control').

3/How?

"Studies demonstrate that cloth mask materials can also reduce wearers’ exposure to infectious droplets through filtration, including filtration of fine droplets and particles less than 10 microns."

4/Population level findings?

"Seven studies have confirmed the benefit of universal masking in community level analyses: in a unified hospital system, a German city, a U.S. state, a panel of 15 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., as well as both Canada and the U.S. nationally."

5/What are the economic implications?

"An economic analysis using U.S. data found that, given these effects, increasing universal masking by 15% could prevent the need for lockdowns and reduce associated losses of up to $1 trillion or about 5% of gross domestic product."

6/Bottom line: Experimental and epidemiological data support widespread masking to reduce the spread of #COVID19.

#DoTheRightThing