Masks boost protection from outbreaks

Face masks are an easy and effective way of boosting protection from flu pandemics and and outbreaks of respiratory illnesses in nursing homes.

A world-first clinical trial conducted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) found that adult mask wearers in the home were four times more likely than ‘non-wearers’ to be protected from common viruses, such as the common cold.

The paper’s lead author, Professor Raina MacIntyre from UNSW’s School of Public Health and Community Medicine, said the findings have significant implications for hospitals and aged care facilities.

Professor MacIntyre said the research suggests face masks could help reduce the spread of outbreaks in nursing homes but at the moment health care workers remain reluctant to use them.

“We know that in aged care facilities they can experience very explosive outbreaks of respiratory conditions and staff are often the vector that carry those conditions from resident to resident, and they can even introduce them to the home,” she said.

“We did some preliminary work in an Australian hospital in 2007 to look at mask usage and the willingness to wear masks among staff and we found a lot of resistance to masks among doctors and nurses.”

Professor MacIntyre added that Australian health care workers also have poor take-up rates of the influenza vaccination.

Part of the reason for this may be our lack of exposure to serious, pandemic respiratory diseases.

“In China there is a lot more acceptance of mask use,” said Professor MacIntyre, “and that is probably because they have experienced the real threat of conditions like SARS.

“But if something like that was to occur here, I am sure everyone would want as much protection as they could get.”