Courtesy Mbabazi House of Style
Grace Byeitima’s Mbabazi
Wear a mask to flatten the curve.
That’s the main takeaway from a new report from public health researchers at Vanderbilt University. They found “in areas where masking requirements have been implemented, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have been stable or declined compared to areas where there are no such requirements.”
Masking requirements are now implemented in 26 Tennessee counties, covering nearly 68 percent of the state’s population. In those areas, hospitalizations have flattened or declined.
This chart shows hospitalizations in areas where all or most of the citizens live under mask requirements:
Vanderbilt University
This chart shows hospitalizations in areas where very few citizens are required to wear a mask:
Vanderbilt University
The researchers noted that it is tough to attribute declines in hospitalizations directly to wearing a mask. Some counties, like Shelby County, also put restrictions on large gatherings, closed bars, and restricted crowds in restaurants to slow the spread of the virus.
”What we do know is that Tennessee communities that have initiated multi-faceted public health responses to COVID-19 — including mask requirements — have seen lower growth in hospitalizations over the summer months,” reads the report. “Additional steps to put in similar protocols and public health measures in the remaining areas could help ensure that the state can remain open for both education and business in the months ahead.”
Read the report here:
[pdf-1]
