Is it really time to ditch the mask?
BMJ 2022; 377 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.o1186 (Published 11 May 2022) Cite this as: BMJ 2022;377:o1186
- Rok Hrzic, doctor of philosophy candidate in European public health123,
- Vasco Ricoca Peixoto, public health medical specialist, researcher, and doctor of philosophy candidate345,
- Amanda J Mason-Jones, associate professor in global public health36,
- Alison McCallum, visiting professor of public health37
- on behalf of the ASPHER COVID-19 Task Force
- 1Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- 2ASPHER Young Professional, Brussels, Belgium
- 3ASPHER COVID-19 Task Force
- 4NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Universida de NOVA de Lisboa
- 5Comprehensive Health Research Centre - Universidade Nova de Lisboa
- 6Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
- 7Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
The mandatory use of face masks in indoor public areas and on public transport as a mitigation measure to prevent covid-19 transmission was abolished between February and April 2022 in Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the UK.1 This is in contrast to many other European countries, including Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, that are maintaining face mask requirements in some settings, including on public transport.2 With the omicron BA.2 variant still spreading rapidly, uncertainty about what future variants may emerge, and ventilation related mitigation still limited in many areas, removing all mask mandates may be unwise at this point. Two suggested reasons for this policy shift are the public’s alleged pandemic fatigue and reluctance to carry on with protection measures,3 and the proposal that removing mask mandates provides an opportunity to build herd immunity through widespread infections with omicron.4 Neither of these arguments stand up to scrutiny.
Pandemic fatigue hinges on the idea that the public’s adherence to risk reduction strategies diminishes over time as weariness sets in.56 This theory has often been contradicted by surveys and studies that have found public adherence to protection measures has been high throughout much of the pandemic.7 If …