• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Body
  • Mind
  • Social
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Dr. Michael Hunter's Wellness

What You Need to Know to Optimize Your Health

  • Body
  • Mind
  • Social
You are here: Home / Wellness / Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?
close up photo of guy fawkes mask

Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?

October 26, 2024 · In: coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19, infection, infections, medicine, pandemic, Wellness

My hospital recently reintroduced a mandate that its healthcare providers wear paper surgical masks. Do paper masks protect you against COVID?

As a scientist, I question the efficacy of paper surgical masks in preventing the transmission of COVID-19, as my hospital reintroduced a mandate for healthcare providers to wear them. 

Although many debate the effectiveness of paper masks, I am more interested in the evidence supporting wearing one rather than the politics surrounding masking.

Mixed Feelings

I remember wearing a paper surgical mask during a particularly busy shift at the hospital last winter. 

As I moved from one patient’s room to another, I couldn’t help but notice the discomfort caused by the mask’s straps constantly tugging at my ears. 

Despite the inconvenience, I also couldn’t ignore the sense of protection and responsibility that came with wearing it. 

I work in cancer medicine, after all.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

It’s a strange juxtaposition — the physical discomfort versus the mental reassurance. 

Moreover, my patients prefer to see my face. 

Moments like these make me reflect on the true effectiveness of these masks and whether they are truly making a difference in preventing the transmission of viruses.

Overview

While we adopted widespread mask use as a public health measure, the evidence supporting their effectiveness remains contested. 

Observational studies (and even some randomized controlled trials) suggest a benefit, but there is no high-level, conclusive evidence that masks meaningfully reduce COVID-19 transmission.

You may be surprised to hear this doctor admit that.

A box of paper surgical masks.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Today, I want to examine a recent study that hails the effectiveness of masking.

The big reveal: We need more rigorous investigations to determine the precise role of paper surgical masks in mitigating the spread of the virus.

A New Study

Atle Freithem and colleagues report the results of a pragmatic randomized control trial in the British Medical Journal: 

Personal protective effect of wearing surgical face masks in public spaces.
www.bmj.com.

The take-home message is this:

Wearing a surgical mask for two weeks during the winter of 2023 reduced the spread of self-reported viral illness.

This research proves that paper masks work, right?

Study Details – Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?

Purpose: This study aimed to see if wearing a surgical mask in public places like stores, streets, and public transport for two weeks could protect people from getting sick with respiratory infections like colds or the flu.

How the study worked: Researchers randomly divided almost 4,700 adults in Norway into two groups. They told one group of participants to wear surgical masks in public for two weeks while asking the other group not to.

An illustration of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash

What researchers examined: The scientists were mainly interested in whether people got sick with respiratory infections. They also looked at whether people reported getting COVID-19 or had it confirmed by a doctor.

Important note: The investigators did not tell subjects to wear masks at home or work, only when in public.

Study Results – Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?

Here are the study results:

Over the study period, about 9 percent of those who wore masks reported cold or flu-like symptoms, compared to 12 percent of those who didn’t. 

This finding suggests that wearing masks might slightly lower your chances of contracting a respiratory infection. 

My Take – Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?

First, kudos to the researchers for completing a practical, randomized clinical trial evaluating paper mask effectiveness. 

We can do randomized clinical trials in the COVID-19 realm.

Second, the study does not prove that paper masks reduce COVID-19 transmission.

Many people believe masks are effective, and this study didn’t use a placebo or fake mask to account for that belief. 

The results may reflect that people feel better because they wear a mask rather than a mask that prevents illness.

We Need Studies With Objective Measures

I hope we get a study that uses objective measures of infection.

I wish the authors had used regular virus tests or blood tests checking for COVID-19 antibodies.

A young woman places her hands on the top of her head as she dons a blue paper surgical mask.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

The study, as conducted, tells us that people wearing masks reported fewer illnesses, not that they were actually sick less often or felt better overall.

While the study didn’t find a benefit in confirmed COVID-19 cases, it might not have been large enough to detect a small difference.

Bottom Line – Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?

This study does not prove masks reduce COVID-19 transmission; the study’s primary endpoint was self-reported illness.

After so much trumpeting of the value of paper masks to reduce COVID-19 contagiousness, we still need high-level evidence to convince me.

Per my hospital’s mandate, I will continue to don my paper mask faithfully. 

But am I better off donning a mask year after year for a virus that has diminished in lethality for healthy individuals like me?

Photo by visuals on Unsplash

If I had a big upcoming event, I would wear an N-95 mask. 

Many counterfeit N-95 and K-95 masks are out there, and many don’t fit them properly.

But that is another story.

Do you regularly wear a paper surgical mask?

Get an email whenever Dr. Michael Hunter publishes.
drmichaelhunter.medium.com.

Thank you for reading “Do Paper Masks Protect You Against COVID?” Please consider signing up to follow this blog site. Thanks!

By: Dr. Michael Hunter · In: coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19, infection, infections, medicine, pandemic, Wellness · Tagged: coronavirus, COVID-19, COVID-19 transmission, Do masks work against COVID-19?, health, masks and COVID-19, wellness

you’ll also love

🧠 The Surprising Mental Medicine You Already Own
The Grocery Store Aisle Is Quietly Killing Us
💪 Why Doing Less Builds More Muscle (At Any Age)

Join the List

Stay up to date & receive the latest posts in your inbox.

Next Post >

Fake Sugar and Your Health

Primary Sidebar

Meet Dr. Hunter

Meet Dr. Hunter

Your go-to source for all things wellness. I am Michael Hunter. I practice radiation oncology in the Seattle area and have a particular interest in health. I am delighted that you have joined me here. Thank you.

Read More

Connect

join the list

Featured Posts

New Breast Cancer Screening Guide

man walking on floor

Netflix Can Wait. But Your Heart Can’t

close up photo of man with laser lines on his face

Extreme Anti-Aging

Categories

  • Body
  • Mind
  • Social

Search

Archives

Follow Along

@michaelhuntermd

thebreastcancerdoctor

#Stanford2021 #tyhunter #Stanford2021 #tyhunter
#stanforduniversity #graduation #tyhunter #stanforduniversity #graduation #tyhunter
Hope you too are having a joy-filled weekend! Hope you too are having a joy-filled weekend!
Seattle almost-summer day #hiking #rattlesnakeledg Seattle almost-summer day #hiking #rattlesnakeledge #seattle
I hope you have a joy-filled 2021! I hope you have a joy-filled 2021!
Breathing out of 2020 and into 2021. #hawaii #hiki Breathing out of 2020 and into 2021. #hawaii #hiking #awe #mindfulness
Instagram post 18137289235185551 Instagram post 18137289235185551
Instagram post 17851535831416158 Instagram post 17851535831416158
Instagram post 17889383257655934 Instagram post 17889383257655934
Ah... Ah...
Instagram post 17850799412251973 Instagram post 17850799412251973
www.newcancerinfo.com www.newcancerinfo.com
Exciting new research results... Exciting new research results...
#moma #manhattan #travelphotography #museumofmoder #moma #manhattan #travelphotography #museumofmodernart #cancerdoctor #barnard #newyork #newyorkcity #photography #leicaphotography #blackandwhitephotography #photographylovers #photooftheday
3 ways to lower your colon cancer risk #cancer#col 3 ways to lower your colon cancer risk #cancer#coloncancer#dietandcancer#rectalcancer#wellness#lifestyle
Love the early morning Pike Place Market. Peaceful Love the early morning Pike Place Market. Peaceful, as it opens.
#seattle#spaceneedle#pikeplacemarket#pacificnorthw #seattle#spaceneedle#pikeplacemarket#pacificnorthwest#travelphotography#leicaphotography
#finnriver #finnrivercider #finnriverfarm #PortTow #finnriver #finnrivercider #finnriverfarm #PortTownsend  #olympicpeninsula #BainbridgeIsland #seattlephotographer #travelphotography #cider  #appleciderfestival
#finnriver#olympicpeninsula #porttownsend #seattle #finnriver#olympicpeninsula #porttownsend #seattle #seattlelife #thingstodoinseattle #ciderfestival #ciderhouse #bainbridgeisland
#prostatecancer #cancer#prostate#cancer #wellness #prostatecancer #cancer#prostate#cancer #wellness #prostatecancerawareness #prostateexam #prostatecancerawarenessmonth #menshealth
Follow on Instagram

Footer

On the Blog

  • Body
  • Mind
  • Social

Info

  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact

stay in the know

Copyright © 2025 · Theme by 17th Avenue