Sandlund, J; Duriseti, R; Ladhani, SN; Stuart, K; Noble, J; Høeg, TB
(2024)
Child mask mandates for COVID-19: a systematic review.
Arch Dis Child, 109 (3).
e2.
ISSN 1468-2044
https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2023-326215
SGUL Authors: Ladhani, Shamez Nizarali
Abstract
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.
Item Type: |
Article
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Additional Information: |
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. |
Keywords: |
Child Health, Covid-19, Infectious Disease Medicine, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, Pediatrics |
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: |
Academic Structure > Infection and Immunity Research Institute (INII) |
Journal or Publication Title: |
Arch Dis Child |
ISSN: |
1468-2044 |
Language: |
eng |
Dates: |
Date | Event |
---|
19 February 2024 | Published | 2 December 2023 | Published Online | 3 November 2023 | Accepted |
|
Publisher License: |
Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 |
PubMed ID: |
38050026 |
![](http://static.pubmed.gov/portal/portal3rc.fcgi/2745237/img/27842) |
Go to PubMed abstract |
URI: |
https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/115922 |
Publisher's version: |
https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2023-326215 |
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