A new study indicated that the imposition of the use of the muzzle to limit the spread of the emerging Corona virus (Covid-19) in areas considered foci of the pandemic may have prevented tens of thousands of people from becoming infected, so that researchers in the study published in the journal BNS (The National Academy of Sciences of the United States) said that using a mask is more important than rules for social spacing and staying home.
The study concluded that the infection prevalence curve changed radically when the use of muzzles was imposed on April 6 in northern Italy, and on April 17 in New York, at a time when the two regions were among the worst affected areas of the pandemic.
The researchers saw that «this precautionary measure alone has reduced the number of infections severely, by more than 78 thousand in Italy from April 6 to May 9 and by more than 66 thousand in New York City between April 17 and May 9».
They added that when the rules requiring the use of the muzzle were applied in New York, the daily new infection rate fell by about three percent, while the number of new infections continued to increase in the rest of the country.
The researchers pointed out that other precautions related to avoiding direct contact, such as social separation, quarantine, isolation and hand sanitation, were all applied before the use of the muzzle was imposed in Italy and New York City. They said that these measures only help to reduce transmission of the virus through direct contact, while covering the face helps to prevent transmission of infection through the air.
They continued: "The unique function of covering the face from preventing sprays and inhaling the particles that carry the virus in the atmosphere is the cause of the great decrease in infections."