SARS-CoV-1 is a highly contagious virus. The fatality rate is 9.7%. Measures to decrease the transmission include distancing and protective gears. Reviews prior to this one have primarily focused on distancing, while this review is the first review that focuses on facemasks as part of the protective gears to healthcare personnel. The aim of the meta-analysis was to determine whether usage of surgical facemasks mitigates transmission of SARS-CoV-1 among the healthcare personnel. The research question was the following: To what extent does the usage of facemasks mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-1 among the healthcare personnel? A meta-analysis was performed through searches in databases. According to the findings, the forest plot indicated that an effect was present in mitigating SARS-CoV-1. The absence of publication bias was inconclusive, as the funnel plot had too few data-points. In conclusion, the usage of facemasks among the healthcare personnel likely does lead to a mitigation of the transmission of SARS-CoV-1. Further research may focus on whether fabric masks have a greater effectiveness in mitigating transmission than a N95 mask while taking into account daily use in a non-healthcare setting or whether protective gear are effective for individuals of a certain age-group
Programmet: Studenten var inte antagen till ett magisterprogram. Läste kursen som fristående.