Masks: ‘We need rules, not exhortations’
A student’s actions in wearing a mask at work in Auckland’s CBD while she was infectious with Covid-19 might have lowered the number of people she infected.
Physicist and disease modeller Professor Shaun Hendy said that the student’s decision to mask-up might have mitigated the number of secondary infections.
The Ministry of Health announced yesterday that a neighbour of the woman had returned a weak positive result, but despite 5400 tests being carried out in Auckland alone, there were no new community cases.
Hendy said that although wearing a mask was not foolproof, mask use could reduce the risk of transmitting the virus.
‘‘It does seem to have an effect with casual contacts.’’
He said people should wear a mask because they could be infectious before they developed symptoms.
‘‘A mask can stop you spreading the virus to others. We need to keep it up [mask wearing] and do it when we feel perfectly good, even when we feel fine.
‘‘It’s about showing you’re protecting other people.’’
Hendy said masks were really important when in enclosed spaces with strangers, such as public transport, planes and the supermarket.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins earlier said he would be taking a public health order to Cabinet tomorrow to ask for face coverings to become mandatory on public transport in Auckland, including domestic flights around the country.
Many Auckland commuters could be seen without masks on Thursday afternoon after the new community case of Covid-19 was announced. Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker said Hendy’s assessment was fair and added he wanted to see mask use incorporated into the country’s alert levels. Baker said this would make mask wearing more clear and unambiguous.
‘‘It would just be understood,’’ he said. ‘‘Simply exhorting people to wear masks doesn’t work. We need clear, unambiguous rules.’’ He explained masks were a mainstay of source control in outbreaks and curbing transmission.