{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,30]],"date-time":"2025-12-30T15:25:29Z","timestamp":1767108329483,"version":"3.40.5"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,9]],"date-time":"2021-02-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1612828800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Evidence Based Medicine"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>Recommendations for widespread use of face mask, including suggested type, should reflect the current published evidence and concurrently be studied. This review evaluates the preclinical and clinical evidence on use of cloth and surgical face masks in SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 transmission and proposes a trial to gather further evidence.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>PubMed, EMbase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. Studies of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 and face masks and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic> \u2265 50 for other respiratory illnesses were included.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Fourteen studies were included in this study. One preclinical and 1 observational cohort clinical study found significant benefit of masks in limiting SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 transmission. Eleven RCTs in a meta\u2010analysis studying other respiratory illnesses found no significant benefit of masks (\u00b1hand hygiene) for influenza\u2010like\u2010illness symptoms nor laboratory confirmed viruses. One RCT found a significant benefit of surgical masks compared with cloth masks.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>There is limited available preclinical and clinical evidence for face mask benefit in SARS\u2010CoV\u20102. RCT evidence for other respiratory viral illnesses shows no significant benefit of masks in limiting transmission but is of poor quality and not SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 specific. There is an urgent need for evidence from randomized controlled trials to investigate the efficacy of surgical and cloth masks on transmission of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 and user reported outcomes such as comfort and compliance.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/jebm.12424","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,11]],"date-time":"2021-02-11T01:27:16Z","timestamp":1613006836000},"page":"97-111","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Efficacy of surgical masks or cloth masks in the prevention of viral transmission: Systematic review, meta\u2010analysis, and proposal for future trial"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7333-2730","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Akriti","family":"Nanda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust University of Oxford  Oxford UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ivan","family":"Hung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong  Hong Kong China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ava","family":"Kwong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong  Hong Kong China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vivian Chi\u2010Mei","family":"Man","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong  Hong Kong China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Pankaj","family":"Roy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Breast Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust University of Oxford  Oxford UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lucy","family":"Davies","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Surgical Interventional Trials Unit, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences University of Oxford  Oxford UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Douek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Breast Surgery, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust University of Oxford  Oxford UK"},{"name":"Surgical Interventional Trials Unit, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences University of Oxford  Oxford UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_8_2_1","unstructured":"Masks4All.What countries require masks in public or recommend masks?2020. Available from:https:\/\/masks4all.co\/what-countries-require-masks-in-public\/. Accessed August 16 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_3_1","unstructured":"WHO.Coronavirus disease (COVID\u201019) advice for the public: when and how to use masks.2020. Available from:https:\/\/www.who.int\/emergencies\/diseases\/novel-coronavirus-2019\/advice-for-public\/when-and-how-to-use-masks. Accessed August 16 2020."},{"issue":"18","key":"e_1_2_8_4_1","first-page":"1837","article-title":"Turbulent gas clouds and respiratory pathogen emissions: potential implications for reducing transmission of COVID\u201019","volume":"323","author":"Bourouiba L","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Am Med Assoc"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_5_1","unstructured":"ViolaIM PetersonB PisettaG et\u00a0al.Face coverings aerosol dispersion and mitigation of virus transmission. physics.med\u2010ph arXiv;2020. Available from:https:\/\/arxiv.org\/abs\/2005.10720. Accessed August 17 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-020-0843-2"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15585\/mmwr.mm6914e1"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.m1442"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/jmv.25805"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_10_1","first-page":"413","volume-title":"Testing the efficacy of homemade masks: would they protect in an influenza pandemic?","author":"Davies A","year":"2013"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa450"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17134877"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinf.2020.04.024"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_14_1","unstructured":"The Nordic Cochrane Centre TCC. Review Manager (RevMan) [Computer program]. Version 5.3 The Cochrane Collaboration 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_15_1","unstructured":"National Toxicology Program US Department of Health and Human Services. OHAT Risk of Bias Tool;2015. Available from:https:\/\/ntp.niehs.nih.gov\/go\/riskbias. Accessed August 20 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.i4919"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.l4898"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa644"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_19_1","first-page":"4","article-title":"Effectiveness of surgical and cotton masks in blocking SARS\u2013CoV\u20102: a controlled comparison in 4 patients","author":"Bae S","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7326\/L20-0745"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjgh-2020-002794"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/650396"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0029744"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2334-12-26"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2174\/1871526514666141021112855"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0013998"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0108850"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7326\/0003-4819-151-7-200910060-00142"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/003335491012500206"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1502.081166"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2016-012330"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1750-2659.2011.00205.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2014-006577"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_34_1","unstructured":"BundgaardH.Reduction in COVID\u201019 infection using surgical facial masks outside the healthcare system. clinicaltrials.gov.2020. Available from:https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/NCT04337541. Accessed August 22 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_35_1","unstructured":"ProjectBH.Locally produced cloth face mask and COVID\u201019 like illness prevention;2020. Available from:https:\/\/clinicaltrials.gov\/ct2\/show\/study\/NCT04471766. Accessed August 22 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_36_1","first-page":"CD006207","article-title":"Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses","volume":"7","author":"Jefferson T","year":"2010","journal-title":"Cochrane Datab Syst Rev"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/cix681"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.11622\/smedj.2014037"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_39_1","unstructured":"BesserR.41 breathable face masks just in time for summer. Vogue;2020. Available from:https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/slideshow\/breathable-masks. Accessed August 22 2020."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_40_1","unstructured":"VargheseD.The best breathable face masks will help you stay safe in the heat. GQ; 2020. Available fromhttps:\/\/www.gq.com\/story\/the-best-breathable-face-masks. Accessed August 22 2020."},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_8_41_1","first-page":"102","article-title":"Protective facemask impact on human thermoregulation: an overview","volume":"56","author":"Roberge RJ","year":"2012","journal-title":"Ann Occup Hyg"}],"container-title":["Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/jebm.12424","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/jebm.12424","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/jebm.12424","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,1]],"date-time":"2023-09-01T03:45:59Z","timestamp":1693539959000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/jebm.12424"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,9]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,5]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/jebm.12424"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/jebm.12424","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1756-5383","1756-5391"],"issn-type":[{"type":"print","value":"1756-5383"},{"type":"electronic","value":"1756-5391"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,9]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2020-09-12","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-01-04","order":1,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2021-02-09","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}