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Most clinicians assume that disposable N95 respirators (the tight facial masks that are individually fitted) must be more effective than plain paper surgical masks for protecting clinicians from patients' respiratory infections. Why else would hospitals use them? In fact, no clinical data supports that assumption.
Matched clusters of clinicians working in adult and pediatric clinics at seven large U.S. medical centers were randomized to use either N95s or paper masks when caring for sick, coughing patients during influenza season. Most of the 2862 participants were women (85%) who were nurses (41%) or clinical/administrative support staff (21%) in primary care clinics. About 80% were vaccinated against the flu. Self-reported adherence to the…