Modelling the potential impact of mask use in schools and society on COVID-19 control in the UK
Modelling the potential impact of mask use in schools and society on COVID-19 control in the UK
As the UK reopened after the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, crucial questions emerged around the role for ongoing interventions, including test-trace-isolate (TTI) strategies and mandatory masks. Here we assess the importance of masks in secondary schools by evaluating their impact over September 1–October 23, 2020. We show that, assuming TTI levels from August 2020 and no fundamental changes in the virus’s transmissibility, adoption of masks in secondary schools would have reduced the predicted size of a second wave, but preventing it would have required 68% or 46% of those with symptoms to seek testing (assuming masks’ effective coverage 15% or 30% respectively). With masks in community settings but not secondary schools, the required testing rates increase to 76% and 57%.
Panovska-Griffiths, J.
da117053-d638-4ccc-b527-d2e06e5bbb7a
Kerr, C.C.
e3aded27-98a4-4318-a13c-53ece66f72a4
Waites, W.
a069e5ff-f440-4b89-ae81-3b58c2ae2afd
Stuart, R.M.
9d0c7351-855c-41ce-b03b-81c6813f6b20
Mistry, D.
0567acb7-ec36-445a-ad0c-739776f5ccb8
Foster, D.
eb3774f5-7472-4b2b-be51-9e5a4f8f7fbd
Klein, D.J.
e66935bb-4aee-4fea-a410-e3a644188f8d
Viner, R.M.
f3c28e2e-0950-4e7e-a368-39bb378b7f19
Bonell, C.
de62d376-0d51-4e2f-9237-6a2536702bdb
22 April 2021
Panovska-Griffiths, J.
da117053-d638-4ccc-b527-d2e06e5bbb7a
Kerr, C.C.
e3aded27-98a4-4318-a13c-53ece66f72a4
Waites, W.
a069e5ff-f440-4b89-ae81-3b58c2ae2afd
Stuart, R.M.
9d0c7351-855c-41ce-b03b-81c6813f6b20
Mistry, D.
0567acb7-ec36-445a-ad0c-739776f5ccb8
Foster, D.
eb3774f5-7472-4b2b-be51-9e5a4f8f7fbd
Klein, D.J.
e66935bb-4aee-4fea-a410-e3a644188f8d
Viner, R.M.
f3c28e2e-0950-4e7e-a368-39bb378b7f19
Bonell, C.
de62d376-0d51-4e2f-9237-6a2536702bdb
Panovska-Griffiths, J., Kerr, C.C., Waites, W., Stuart, R.M., Mistry, D., Foster, D., Klein, D.J., Viner, R.M. and Bonell, C.
(2021)
Modelling the potential impact of mask use in schools and society on COVID-19 control in the UK.
Scientific Reports, 11, [8747].
(doi:10.1038/s41598-021-88075-0).
Abstract
As the UK reopened after the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic, crucial questions emerged around the role for ongoing interventions, including test-trace-isolate (TTI) strategies and mandatory masks. Here we assess the importance of masks in secondary schools by evaluating their impact over September 1–October 23, 2020. We show that, assuming TTI levels from August 2020 and no fundamental changes in the virus’s transmissibility, adoption of masks in secondary schools would have reduced the predicted size of a second wave, but preventing it would have required 68% or 46% of those with symptoms to seek testing (assuming masks’ effective coverage 15% or 30% respectively). With masks in community settings but not secondary schools, the required testing rates increase to 76% and 57%.
Text
s41598-021-88075-0 (1)
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 8 April 2021
Published date: 22 April 2021
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 500108
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500108
ISSN: 2045-2322
PURE UUID: cdc577c8-a793-46ec-b1d0-70098f933884
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 15 Apr 2025 17:00
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 02:43
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
J. Panovska-Griffiths
Author:
C.C. Kerr
Author:
W. Waites
Author:
R.M. Stuart
Author:
D. Mistry
Author:
D. Foster
Author:
D.J. Klein
Author:
R.M. Viner
Author:
C. Bonell
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics