Research published at the beginning of April casts serious doubts about the effectiveness of both surgical and cloth masks in preventing the spread of infectious SARS-CoV-2 particles.
In an effort to find more ways of slowing the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers and public health officials around the world have been debating whether using face masks in public might help.
This is a long and fraught debate, and international specialists and decision makers have not reached a consensus. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines on the use of face masks by the public.
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