Since the coronavirus pandemic was announced back in March, the benefits of face masks have been widely debated around the world.
The World Health Organisation has maintained that wearing a face mask is not effective unless you have the disease, but despite this, several countries have encouraged the public to wear a mask while out and about.
Now, some of the UK’s leading scientists have penned a report, urging the UK government to enforce face masks for Brits.
The Data Evaluation and Learning for Viral Epidemics (DELVE) report, by scientists from the Royal Society, suggests that wearing face masks could reduce the transmission of the virus once social distancing measures are lifted.
Venki Ramakrishnan, Chair of the DELVE committee said: “While social distancing and maintaining hygiene, such as washing hands, remain of prime importance to reducing transmission, the evidence shows that, if used widely and correctly, face masks, including home-made cloth masks, can help to reduce viral transmission in situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain consistently.
“Such situations include busy public transport, shopping and other potentially crowded public or workspaces.”
The report highlights the fact that many coronavirus patients show no symptoms, so continue going out and about as normal, unknowingly spreading the virus to others.
Sir Ramakrishnan explained: “Many people may have the virus before symptoms kick in and some people will carry the virus without even knowing it.
“Every time they cough, sneeze, talk or even breathe, they are spreading droplets containing the virus.
“Covering your face can reduce the risk of infecting others but we emphasise that this is an added tool to bring down the infection rate, and not a replacement for handwashing and social distancing.”
While the group is urging the government to enforce face masks for the public, they highlight that the priority must remain keeping NHS and frontline workers safe.
Sir Ramakrishnan added: “The Government has to take many factors into account when making policy and it remains essential that NHS and other frontline workers who are risking their lives on our behalf must have access to medical face masks.
“Our top priority should be to protect the NHS and care workers, so the public should absolutely not be rushing out to get surgical masks. However, the scientific evidence shows that even home-made masks can help to reduce the spread of the virus.”
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