In a new study from Oxford University, researchers found people who wore face coverings or masks outside of the home, and were more exposed to infection due to their circumstances, had ‘significantly’ lower rates of COVID-19 infection.
Although it has been widely asserted that face coverings protect others, rather than the wearer, this study found a clear link between wearing a face-covering outside the home and infection.
In the study, participants were asked to complete a short questionnaire, as well as take regular COVID tests.
Respondents were asked to reveal how often they worked outside the home, how easy it was to maintain social distance in their workplace, whether they took public transport and whether they had direct contact with others on a day-to-day basis.
According to the study, wearing a face-covering outside was a strong predictor of a lower chance of infection before mid-December 2020 in the UK, when a stricter second lockdown was implemented.
The study found there was a higher rate of infections among those who lacked the autonomy to follow COVID behavioral measures and did not comply with wearing a face covering.
The team found that the level of autonomy to adhere to behavioral interventions does not predict COVID- 19 infection alone, but rather the risk of infection is diminished when individuals wear face-covering/masks.
They conclude that wearing a face-covering or mask outside the home can reduce the unequal effects of exposure to COVID- 19 due to individual and employment circumstances.
The team says the inability for some groups of people to follow behavioral interventions exacerbates existing health inequalities and they showed those face coverings are one measure that can mitigate this unequal exposure.
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The study is published in BMJ Open. One author of the study is Professor Melinda Mills.
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