Wearing face mask cuts your own risk of coronavirus by 65%, California doctors say

People who wear face masks can reduce their own risk of coronavirus by 65%, two leading doctors have said.

Dean Blumberg, chief of paediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Children's Hospital, said new studies have revealed how important face masks are for the wearer.

During a livestream event on the topic of face masks, Dr Blumberg said: “We don’t know who might spread [Covid-19].

"We do know social distancing reduces the risk of transmitting the virus by 90%, and wearing masks decreases the risk by 65%."

Dr Blumberg and his colleague, William Ristenpart, a professor of chemical engineering at UC Davis, explained that Covid-19 is transferred primarily through droplets and aerosol particles.

The researchers said the droplets are about one-third the size of a human hair, but are still large enough that we can see them.

Dr Blumberg said: “Everyone should wear a mask. People who say, ‘I don’t believe masks work,’ are ignoring scientific evidence.

"It’s not a belief system. It’s like saying, ‘I don’t believe in gravity'.

“People who don’t wear a mask increase the risk of transmission to everyone, not just the people they come into contact with. It’s all the people those people will have contact with."

He added: "You’re being an irresponsible member of the community if you’re not wearing a mask. It’s like double-dipping in the guacamole. You’re not being nice to others.”

The second method of transmission refers to aerosol particles that people expel when they talk.

The scientists said the particles are about 1/100th of the size of a human hair and are more difficult to defend against.

Ristenpart explained: "Studies in laboratory conditions now show the virus stays alive in aerosol form with a half-life on the scale of hours. It persists in the air.

“That’s why you want to be outdoors for any social situations if possible. The good air flow will disperse the virus. If you are indoors, think about opening the windows. You want as much fresh air as possible.”

He added that places such as bars and pubs are particularly dangerous when it comes to the spread of aerosol particles because "the louder you speak, the more expiatory aerosols you put out".

The UC Davis study comes after Professor Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the Royal Society, said not wearing face covering should be considered "antisocial behaviour" - just like drink driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

The UK Government has made face masks mandatory on public transport and in certain indoor areas such as hospitals.

Read more

Woman sews masks with clear window to help lip-reading deaf people

Government says gyms can reopen soon as death toll jumps- LATEST