https://www.msn.com/en-au/health/medical/researchers-found-the-coronavirus-lasted-on-a-surgical-mask-for-7-days-showing-how-crucial-it-is-to-properly-remove-face-coverings-after-wearing-them/ar-BB12eT27 "
This peer-reviewed article has an error in it.
The MSN article notes the following:
"They were surprised to find the novel coronavirus on the outside of a face mask a week later.
"Strikingly, a detectable level of infectious virus could still be present (emphasis added) on the outer layer of a surgical mask on day 7," the researchers wrote."
The actual article:
"Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in different environmental conditions"
- see https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(20)30003-3/fulltext
notes as follows:
"Strikingly, a detectable level of infectious virus could still be present (emphasis added) on the outer layer of a surgical mask on day 7 (∼0·1% of the original inoculum)."
However, the peer-reviewed article is incorrect. The research showed that a detectable level of infectious virus was present on the outer layer of a surgical mask on day 7. Please see the Supplementary Appendix, Table B (Mask Outer Layer) column.
-see https://www.thelancet.com/cms/10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30003-3/attachment/34ed069e-7268-42ae-8627-df3aa869d81b/mmc1.pdf
I'm surprised at the error in their article, as it is one of their principal findings.
“could”
The question is how would the level of virus on the outside of a mask compare for a health worker hovering over very sick people versus someone walking past and infected person at six feet distance.
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