The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway

Face masks are recommended as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19, but there are practically no studies of interventions to increase face mask use. Over three weeks, nine grocery stores in the Stovner District of Oslo were randomly selected each day to have distribution of free face masks out...

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Autores principales: Fretheim, Atle, Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess, Kristiansen, Fredrik Aaeng, Varmbo, Caroline Rømming, Olsbø, Miriam Kristine Salame, Glover, Iselin Havstein Strand, Flatø, Martin
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2021
Materias:
Article
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8430712/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34501561
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178971
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author Fretheim, Atle
Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess
Kristiansen, Fredrik Aaeng
Varmbo, Caroline Rømming
Olsbø, Miriam Kristine Salame
Glover, Iselin Havstein Strand
Flatø, Martin
author_facet Fretheim, Atle
Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess
Kristiansen, Fredrik Aaeng
Varmbo, Caroline Rømming
Olsbø, Miriam Kristine Salame
Glover, Iselin Havstein Strand
Flatø, Martin
author_sort Fretheim, Atle
collection PubMed
description Face masks are recommended as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19, but there are practically no studies of interventions to increase face mask use. Over three weeks, nine grocery stores in the Stovner District of Oslo were randomly selected each day to have distribution of free face masks outside their entrance. Free face mask distribution increased the proportion of customers wearing a mask by 6.0 percentage points (adjusted, 95% CI 3.5–8.5). Mean mask usage was 91.7% in the control group and 97.1% in the treatment group (pooled SD 5.3%). Practically all those who wore masks had both nose and mouth covered. We conclude that free distribution of face masks increased their use. Similar trials can be conducted within a short period of time.
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spelling pubmed-84307122021-09-11 The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway Fretheim, Atle Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess Kristiansen, Fredrik Aaeng Varmbo, Caroline Rømming Olsbø, Miriam Kristine Salame Glover, Iselin Havstein Strand Flatø, Martin Int J Environ Res Public Health Article Face masks are recommended as a means of reducing the spread of COVID-19, but there are practically no studies of interventions to increase face mask use. Over three weeks, nine grocery stores in the Stovner District of Oslo were randomly selected each day to have distribution of free face masks outside their entrance. Free face mask distribution increased the proportion of customers wearing a mask by 6.0 percentage points (adjusted, 95% CI 3.5–8.5). Mean mask usage was 91.7% in the control group and 97.1% in the treatment group (pooled SD 5.3%). Practically all those who wore masks had both nose and mouth covered. We conclude that free distribution of face masks increased their use. Similar trials can be conducted within a short period of time. MDPI 2021-08-26 /pmc/articles/PMC8430712/ /pubmed/34501561 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178971 Text en © 2021 by the authors. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
spellingShingle Article
Fretheim, Atle
Elgersma, Ingeborg Hess
Kristiansen, Fredrik Aaeng
Varmbo, Caroline Rømming
Olsbø, Miriam Kristine Salame
Glover, Iselin Havstein Strand
Flatø, Martin
The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title_full The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title_fullStr The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title_full_unstemmed The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title_short The Effectiveness of Free Face Mask Distribution on Use of Face Masks. A Cluster Randomised Trial in Stovner District of Oslo, Norway
title_sort effectiveness of free face mask distribution on use of face masks. a cluster randomised trial in stovner district of oslo, norway
topic Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8430712/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34501561
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178971
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