In one well-controlled study in a hospital setting, the face mask was as good at preventing influenza infection as a purpose-made respirator. Respira… - Jonathan Ball

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In one well-controlled study in a hospital setting, the face mask was as good at preventing influenza infection as a purpose-made respirator. Respirators, which tend to feature a specialized air filter, are specifically designed to protect against potentially hazardous airborne particles. However, when you move to studies looking at their effectiveness in the general population, the data is less compelling - it's quite a challenge to keep a mask on for prolonged periods of time.