Many people is wondering where are the scientific evidence of the usefulness of the masks to protect us against the Coronavirus19.

What the people does not know is that really there is not scientific evidence, here we are going to see some studies that show that the use of masks does not protect us

FUNCTION OF THE LUNGS

Our lungs were designed to take the oxygen of the air and bring it to every one of our cells, everybody knows that without oxygen we cannot live, and expulse out carbon dioxide, all this process is called respiration.

Other important functions of the lungs

pH balance: too much carbon dioxide can cause the body to become acidic. If the lungs detect a rise in acidity, they increase the rate of ventilation to expel more of the unwanted gas, and could contribute to anxiety.

Filtering: the lungs filter small blood clots, and they can remove small air bubbles, known as air embolisms, if they occur.

Protective: the lungs can act as a shock absorber for the heart in certain types of collision.

Protection from infection: certain membranes within the lungs secrete immunoglobulin A. This protects the lungs from some infections.

Muco-ciliary clearance: the mucus that lines the respiratory passages traps dust particles and bacteria. Tiny hair-like projections, known as cilia, move these particles upward to a position where they can be coughed out or swallowed and destroyed by the digestive system.

You can get a respiratory illness due to:

• Bacteria (that can be accumulated in the masks)
• Viruses (hidden in the masks)
• mold (fungus)
• polluted air
• chemicals (in the air and from materials used to make masks)
• stagnant indoor air (full of dioxide, or the dioxide that you re-breath when you use masks).
• cigarette, tobacco, or shisha smoke
• second-hand smoke
• allergies, such as:
  • pollen
  • dust
  • food allergens (dairy, nuts, seafood, etc.)
  • pet dander and fur
  • insect waste (such as from dust mites)

IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT MASKS PROTECT HEALTHY PERSONS FROM GETTING SICK? 

A FEW STUDIES CONFIRMING MASKS DON’T WORK 

• A randomized controlled trial by the University of Michigan-School of Public Health found hand washing reduced influenza-like illnesses; while mask wearing made no difference whatsoever. 

REF: Aiello AE, et al. Facemasks, Hand Hygiene, and Influenza among Young Adults: A Randomized Intervention Trial. PLoS ONE 7(1): e29744. (2012) 

• A German randomized controlled trial found “there was no statistically significant effect” when it came to wearing masks “on secondary infections.” 

REF: Suess, T., et al. The role of facemasks and hand hygiene in the prevention of influenza transmission in households: results from a cluster randomized trial; Berlin, Germany, 2009-2011. BMC Infect Dis 12, 26 (2012). 

• A 19-month randomized trial, there was no detectable additional benefit of hand sanitizer or face masks over targeted education on overall rates of URIs in standard contacts. 

REF: Elaine L Larson, EL et al. “Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on URIs and influenza in crowded, urban households.” Public Health Reports. Mar- Apr 2010;125(2):178-91 

• A randomized controlled trial of people sleeping together in tents during an Islamic pilgrimage was reported in Journal of Infectious Disorders. Researchers found no difference in laboratory confirmed influenza cases among those wearing masks and those who were not. 

REF: Osamah Barasheed, O., et al. “Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Test Effectiveness of Facemasks in Preventing Influenza-like Illness Transmission among Australian Hajj Pilgrims in 2011.” Journal Infectious Disorders – Drug Targets. Volume 14 , Issue 2 , 2014