Ordinary face masks and hand hygiene can reduce the transmission of flu-like illness, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. More than 1,400 students living in university residence halls were asked to either wear standard medical procedure masks or wear masks and use hand sanitizer for six weeks during the 2006-2007 flu season. All of the students also received basic hand-hygiene education.
Participants were monitored for flu-like symptoms and compared with a study group that used neither masks nor hand rubs. Both the hand sanitizer/mask group and mask-only group reported significantly fewer flu-like symptoms than the control group. The study appears online in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
[ via AHA News Now ]
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