Shan't we have done our homework?
Answers
Answer:
After initial debate, the utility of masks during the Covid-19 pandemic seems widely accepted now. The dominant scientific opinion says masks are very useful, and even relatively simple home-made masks can offer a great degree of protection against the novel coronavirus. In the last few days, several new studies have reinforced this advice with fresh evidence. These studies say the spread can be contained significantly if a large proportion of population begins to use these masks.
Impact of masks, quantified
In one study, researchers from universities in Arizona, Harvard and Sydney have, using mathematical models for population in New York, shown that if 70% of people wore an effective professional mask every time they ventured outdoors, the pandemic could be eliminated from the city. The same result could be achieved in the entire US, if at least 80% of the population regularly used masks