Mask-wearing is by far the most effective non-pharmaceutical method to stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to a major new global study. According to The Guardian, the new study—written by researchers at Monash University and the University of Edinburgh—is the world’s first robust review that can reliably rate the effectiveness of various public-health measures in slowing down the pandemic. It reportedly showed a 53 percent reduction in the incidence of COVID with mask-wearing, and a 25 percent reduction with physical distancing. Handwashing also appeared to be effective, but more research is required to rate it accurately. “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,” the researchers wrote in the British Medical Journal.
