Washington, Jan 22 (Inditop.com) Ordinary face masks and hand hygiene can cut down the transmission of infections during flu season, a new study shows.
Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, (UMSPH) led by Allison E. Aiello, recruited more than 1,400 college students living in university residence halls during the 2006-2007 influenza season.
Participants were assigned to one of three groups: those who wore face masks, those who wore masks and used alcohol-based hand sanitizer, or a controlled group who received no intervention.
Students were monitored for flu-like symptoms for six weeks. The participants viewed a basic hand hygiene instructional video.
Subjects in the hand hygiene and mask group were given an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and written instructions regarding proper use of face mask and sanitizer.
Those in the mask group received written instructions on face mask use only. The students began using the measures just after lab confirmation of influenza on the University of Michigan campus had been made.
In the hand sanitizer-mask group, Aiello and researchers found a reduction of influenza-like symptoms ranging from 35 to 51 percent when compared with the controlled group, said a UMSPH release.
The findings were published online in the February issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
