Face Mask Wearers Do Not Stop Washing Hands, Research Suggests | World News

Researchers suggest that wearing face covers does not appear to give up hand hygiene, and there is no tradeoff between the benefits of one public health measure and another. ..

Face coverings are now mandatory in many parts of the world. British It should be worn not only by public transport, but also in many stores.

There is little evidence that the covering of the surface of the cloth protects the wearer from Covid-19, but according to experts, increased research suggests that Help reduce infectionLimit the spread from the wearer to others.

Some scientists Caused concern Using a face cover gives the wearer a false sense of security, Less likely to engage in other actions This will reduce the spread of coronaviruses such as hand washing and social distance. This is a phenomenon called “risk compensation”.

However, researchers have examined existing studies and found that wearing a mask showed few signs of reduced compliance with hand hygiene.

Write in diary BMJ analysisThe team reported how they looked at 22 systematic reviews investigating the impact of wearing masks on the proportion of non-Covid-19 respiratory viruses, including influenza, among them 6 that also looked at hand hygiene. I found a randomized controlled trial.

“There is no direct evidence from the current pandemic, so all we have to do is look at what is existing evidence,” says Dame Theresa Marteau, co-author of the University of Cambridge study. Said the professor. ..

The six studies were not specifically designed to investigate whether wearing a mask affected hand washing, but the team did not show evidence that wearing a mask was associated with poor hand hygiene. Self-report and four studies, depending on the amount of soap or disinfectant used. In fact, two studies suggest that wearing a mask may further improve hand hygiene.

Maltaux found that the study covered only six studies, but gave similar results to other studies highlighted by the team, with interventions such as the use of helmets when skiing and cycling increased dangerous behavior. No clear evidence was found.

“It’s not saying that risk compensation doesn’t exist, it’s certainly at the individual level… but I can’t find any good evidence of risk compensation occurring at the population level,” she said. It was

She said there was no sign of increased Covid-19 infections when wearing a face cover, as would be expected if risk compensation were widespread.

“The concept of risk compensation, rather than risk compensation itself, appears to be a greater threat to public health by delaying potentially effective interventions,” the team wrote.

Trish Greenhalgh, Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences at Oxford University, welcomed the study.

“Many key scientists and policy makers, including the UK government and the World Health Organization, prevent risk-compensation ideas from implementing potentially life-saving interventions (face masks). I used it as a reason to do it,” she said. .. “[This research] It’s shocking because these groups are actually revealing the trust that they have made unfounded claims. “

Dr Julian Tan, emeritus professor of respiratory sciences at the University of Leicester, said the study was important in raising awareness of the “myth” of risk compensation for wearing masks.

“The authors acknowledge that there can be individual differences, but the overall impact of mask wear on the population is likely to be more beneficial than it would otherwise be,” he said.

However, little research has been done into how people’s behavior, such as wearing masks and social distances, or how different behaviors affect each other, and it is unclear how the team chose to study. Some people warn.

Robert Dingwall, a sociology professor at Nottingham Trent University, remarked: “It seems premature to argue that risk compensation theory has been “rested” or that concerns should not be considered more seriously. -A more balanced study of this intervention. ”