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Face-touching behaviour as a possible correlate of mask-wearing: A video observational study of public place incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Source :
- Transboundary & Emerging Diseases; May2022, Vol. 69 Issue 3, p1319-1325, 7p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Most countries in the world have recommended or mandated face masks in some or all public places during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, mask use has been thought to increase people's face-touching frequency and thus risk of self-inoculation. Across two studies, we video-observed the face-touching behaviour of members of the public in Amsterdam and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) during the first wave of the pandemic. Study 1 (n = 383) yielded evidence in favour of the absence of an association between mask-wearing and face-touching (defined as touches of face or mask), and Study 2 (n = 421) replicated this result. Secondary outcome analysis of the two studies--analysed separately and with pooled data sets--evidenced a negative association between mask-wearing and hand contact with the face and its t-zone (i.e. eyes, nose and mouth). In sum, the current findings alleviate the concern that mask-wearing has an adverse face-touching effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18651674
- Volume :
- 69
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Transboundary & Emerging Diseases
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 157291359
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14094