Published: Jun. 30, 2020 at 12:09 AM EDT
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A study conducted by Texas A&M professors looked at the correlation between face mask mandates and COVID-19 case trends.
Renyi Zhang, a Texas A&M Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and the Harold J. Haynes Chair in the College of Geosciences, says the team of professors from the University of Texas, the California Institute of Technology, and UC San Diego, looked at the trends in the world’s biggest initial hot spots.
Those hot spots included Italy, China, and New York City. Zhang says they looked at how easily the virus can be transmitted from person-to-person, along with looking at areas that had a face mask mandate, and those that didn’t.
Zhang says that after gathering data from these areas, they were able to conclude that places with a face mask mandate saw a steady decrease in cases, or flattening of the curve.
“Basically, if you are infected, putting on a face mask will protect your families and others, and if you are not infected and you are perfectly healthy, then putting on a face mask will prevent you from inhaling those respiratory viruses,” said Zhang.
The same group of professors is finishing up another study, looking at 15 states in the U.S., and how face mask mandates affected COVID-19 cases. Zhang says the study showed similar results of mandated face masks having a positive effect on flattening the curve.
Dr. Renyi Zhang's Group 