Scientists have discovered the “most effective way” to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as alarming statistics suggest that an increasing number of people are choosing not to cover their faces when they go out in public.

The public health sector has seen a reduction in the number of hospitalizations and severe cases as a result of the continued endeavor to vaccinate the public.

Even if the coronavirus is eliminated, it remains a highly contagious threat, much like the flu.

According to a group of international researchers, wearing a mask is the single most effective step the public can take to prevent the virus from spreading.

Face masks and coverings, according to the first-of-its-kind global study, can reduce Covid incidence by up to 53%.

The pandemic, which began in China in late 2019, has killed over 5.1 million people, making it the deadliest disease epidemic of the twenty-first century.

Throughout this time, health experts have advised wearing face masks and coverings in public places, as well as washing hands more frequently and thoroughly.

The coronavirus is spread by small respiratory droplets emitted when people talk, sneeze, cough, or even breathe.

As a result, wearing a mask has been promoted as the simplest approach to prevent people from releasing these droplets.

Mask-wearing, social distancing, and handwashing are all efficient ways to stop Covid from spreading, according to the authors of the new study, but mask-wearing is the most effective.

Their findings were published in The BMJ, the British Medical Association’s peer-reviewed journal.

The study reads: “This systematic review and meta analysis suggests that several personal protective and social measures, including handwashing, mask wearing, and physical distancing are associated with reductions in the incidence of COVID-19.”

Researchers from Monash University in Australia and the University of Edinburgh collaborated on the project.

The researchers looked at 37 previous studies from throughout the world that looked at the effects of mask use and handwashing.

They wrote: “Overall, 37 studies provided estimates on the effectiveness of multiple public health measures, assessed as a collective group.

“Studies were mostly conducted in Asia, the US, Europe, Africa, and South America.”

Source: 10.1136/bmj-2021-068302

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