September 16, 2021
Research shows why masks work in university settings
Submitted by Division of Communications and Marketing
Kansas State University leaders are pointing to a recently published study that shows universal masking and other health measures can help limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in university settings.
The publication, "SARS-CoV-2 Transmission to Masked and Unmasked Close Contacts of University Students with COVID-19," appeared in a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.
In the study, researchers from Saint Louis University found that universal masking and fewer encounters in close proximity to people with COVID-19 can limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in university settings.
According to the study, when compared with only masked exposure, close contacts with any unmasked exposure had higher adjusted odds of a positive test result. Each additional exposure was associated with a 40% increase in odds of a positive test.
Read more about the study in the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.