Sweden is one of the few countries in the world that has not yet recommended the use of bandages to the population in the fight against the coronavirus. The question was again rejected by Prime Minister Stefan Löfven when he on Monday introduced new, strict measures and imposed a ban on gatherings of more than eight.
On Thursday, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recommends Swedes wear face masks when interacting indoors or in public.
Mouthpieces reduce the number of particles that emanate from the person who is infected, and the number of particles that enter the person who is at risk of becoming infected, says Staffan Normark, professor of molecular microbiology and infection control.
The virus can be airborne, studies have shown the academy has reviewed, and face masks that cover the nose and mouth help reduce the risk of infection. Normark rejects the claim that face masks provide false security and that people who do not handle the face directly increase the risk of infection.
– It is significantly exaggerated, he says. None of the studies the academy has reviewed suggest that face masks can cause infection, according to Normark.
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