Background The pandemic of COVID-19 is growing, and a shortage of masks and
respirators has been reported globally. Policies of health organizations for healthcare …

Many countries introduced the requirement to wear masks in public spaces for containing
SARS-CoV-2 making it commonplace in 2020. Up until now, there has been no …

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a surge in demand for facemasks to protect against
disease transmission. In response to shortages, many public health authorities have …

Background: Observational evidence suggests that mask wearing mitigates transmission of
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is uncertain if this …

Facemasks are essential for healthcare workers but characteristics of the voice whilst
wearing this personal protective equipment are not well understood. In the present study, we …

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a significant burden on global economies and
public health. Most present personal protective equipment used to prevent EID transmission …

Importance There is insufficient evidence on the efficacy of masks in the general population
for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in public areas. Therefore, it is …

Facemasks are recommended for diseases transmitted through droplets and respirators for
respiratory aerosols, yet recommendations and terminology vary between guidelines. The …

Background Viral epidemics or pandemics of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) pose a
global threat. Examples are influenza (H1N1) caused by the H1N1pdm09 virus in 2009 …

National evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAI)
in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England were originally commissioned by the …