Child mask mandates for COVID-19 : a systematic review
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ..
BACKGROUND: Mask mandates for children during the COVID-19 pandemic varied in different locations. A risk-benefit analysis of this intervention has not yet been performed. In this study, we performed a systematic review to assess research on the effectiveness of mask wearing in children.
METHODS: We performed database searches up to February 2023. The studies were screened by title and abstract, and included studies were further screened as full-text references. A risk-of-bias analysis was performed by two independent reviewers and adjudicated by a third reviewer.
RESULTS: We screened 597 studies and included 22 in the final analysis. There were no randomised controlled trials in children assessing the benefits of mask wearing to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection or transmission. The six observational studies reporting an association between child masking and lower infection rate or antibody seropositivity had critical (n=5) or serious (n=1) risk of bias; all six were potentially confounded by important differences between masked and unmasked groups and two were shown to have non-significant results when reanalysed. Sixteen other observational studies found no association between mask wearing and infection or transmission.
CONCLUSIONS: Real-world effectiveness of child mask mandates against SARS-CoV-2 transmission or infection has not been demonstrated with high-quality evidence. The current body of scientific data does not support masking children for protection against COVID-19.
| Medienart: |
E-Artikel |
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| Erscheinungsjahr: |
2024 |
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| Erschienen: |
2024 |
| Enthalten in: |
Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:109 |
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| Enthalten in: |
Archives of disease in childhood - 109(2024), 3 vom: 19. Feb., Seite e2 |
| Sprache: |
Englisch |
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| Beteiligte Personen: |
Sandlund, Johanna [VerfasserIn] |
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| Links: |
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| Themen: |
Antibodies |
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| Anmerkungen: |
Date Completed 21.02.2024 Date Revised 28.02.2024 published: Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
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| doi: |
10.1136/archdischild-2023-326215 |
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| funding: |
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| Förderinstitution / Projekttitel: |
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NLM365409774 |
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| 520 | |a © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. | ||
| 520 | |a BACKGROUND: Mask mandates for children during the COVID-19 pandemic varied in different locations. A risk-benefit analysis of this intervention has not yet been performed. In this study, we performed a systematic review to assess research on the effectiveness of mask wearing in children | ||
| 520 | |a METHODS: We performed database searches up to February 2023. The studies were screened by title and abstract, and included studies were further screened as full-text references. A risk-of-bias analysis was performed by two independent reviewers and adjudicated by a third reviewer | ||
| 520 | |a RESULTS: We screened 597 studies and included 22 in the final analysis. There were no randomised controlled trials in children assessing the benefits of mask wearing to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection or transmission. The six observational studies reporting an association between child masking and lower infection rate or antibody seropositivity had critical (n=5) or serious (n=1) risk of bias; all six were potentially confounded by important differences between masked and unmasked groups and two were shown to have non-significant results when reanalysed. Sixteen other observational studies found no association between mask wearing and infection or transmission | ||
| 520 | |a CONCLUSIONS: Real-world effectiveness of child mask mandates against SARS-CoV-2 transmission or infection has not been demonstrated with high-quality evidence. The current body of scientific data does not support masking children for protection against COVID-19 | ||
| 650 | 4 | |a Systematic Review | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Journal Article | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Child Health | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Covid-19 | |
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| 700 | 1 | |a Ladhani, Shamez N |e verfasserin |4 aut | |
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| 700 | 1 | |a Noble, Jeanne |e verfasserin |4 aut | |
| 700 | 1 | |a Høeg, Tracy Beth |e verfasserin |4 aut | |
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