The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that its findings after a review are that there’s no need for healthy people to wear face masks in public.
Guidelines by WHO released on Monday 6 April following a review say that masks, though helpful were insufficient on their own. WHO was reviewing data from Hong Kong which suggested masks helped in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in communities.
The WHO guideline says in part:
here is currently no evidence that wearing a mask (whether medical or other types) by healthy persons in the wider community setting, including universal community masking, can prevent them from infection with respiratory viruses, including COVID-19.
Prof David Heymann, who chaired the WHO’s scientific and technical advisory group for infectious hazards, said wearing masks is for the protection of others, not oneself.
People think they are protected when they are not, People think they are protected when they are not.
The organisation’s findings conflict with recent advice from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, which urged the US public to wear masks in public places.
You can download the WHO guidelines pdf document here.