Do surgical masks protect against coronavirus?

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Do surgical masks protect against viral outbreaks?

When deadly viral outbreaks like the coronavirus kills and sickens hundreds of people, health officials often encourage the public to wear surgical masks to prevent the spread of disease. But just how well do surgical masks really work?

Amid the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus that began in China but has since spread around the globe, you may be wondering: Should I be wearing a face mask, and do they really work?

“Surgical masks will not prevent your acquiring diseases,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University, and the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, to Fox News.

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Rather, he explained, surgical masks are typically used by surgeons to protect their patients from their mouth-borne germs —  but “those masks don't work to prevent inhaling diseases,” said Schaffner.

The masks, which cover the nose and mouth, are often made from a flimsy material and aren’t fitted to the face. In other words, spaces and gaps can form around the cheeks and edges of the mouth, making it easy for air to move in and out.

“When coughing, you can feel the puffs of air coming out of the mask,” he said.

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That said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently recommending anyone infected with the novel coronavirus or being tested for it to wear a surgical mask when in public. And one infectious disease physician told The New York Times the masks could block “large respiratory droplets” from entering your body when an infected person sneezes or coughs. These large droplets are largely behind the spread of coronaviruses, the physician said.

A more protective mask, known as an N95 respirator, may be more effective, said Schaffner.  But, he noted, a non-medical professional using this mask is likely not using it correctly, doing little to prevent the spread of illness or inhaling a disease.

“The chance of the average person going into a pharmacy, wearing them correctly and for long periods of time is unlikely,” he said.

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As for more preventative measures, Schaffner recommends “abundant hand-washing" —  which you can make sure you are doing correctly here. Other ways to stay safe can also be found here. 

In East Asia — namely in countries such as China, Taiwan, and Japan, among others — surgical masks are not only worn by sick people hoping to prevent the spread of illness but also for air-quality reasons as well as after natural disasters, according to a 2014 report on the history of surgical mask usage in Asia.