To Appreciate the Benefits of Universal Masking, Revoke the Policy and Watch What Happens

Discontinuing mandatory masking in certain Massachusetts school districts in early 2022 led to 45 additional COVID-19 cases per 1000 students and staff during the next 15 weeks.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits of universal masking have been debated (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 2020 and Nat Med 2020 Oct 23; [e-pub]; NEJM JW Infect Dis Mar 2022 and MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 Feb 11). The February 2022 decision by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to allow school districts to discontinue universal masking during the 2021–2022 school year provided an opportunity to evaluate the preventive efficacy of masking. The study included 72 school districts in the greater Boston area that discontinued universal masking at variable time points after the state policy was discontinued (46 districts stopped in the first week after the announcement, 17 the second week, 7 the thi…

Reviewing Author

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Richard T. Ellison III, MD

Disclosures

Consult/Advisory BoardAcurx Pharmaceuticals, LLC;

Grant/Research SupportDoctors Company Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

To Appreciate the Benefits of Universal Masking, Revoke the Policy and Watch What Happens

Topics

Reviewing Author