Health Masks

With a face covering.

Mandy gaither explains.

#### --reporter pkg-as follows-- dr. robert redfield, cdc director/"we have clear scientific evidence that they work and they are our best defense."

It's one of best ways to stop the spread of covid-19 -- dr. anthony fauci, the director of the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases/"wear a mask."

But a new modeling study in the journal nature medicine estimates -- that if most americans wore masks in public -- more than 100- thousand lives could be saved from covid-19 between now and february.

But researchers noted that as of late-september -- less than half of u-s residents reported that they always wear a mask in public.

If that trend remains through february -- and states continue with removing social distancing mandates -- the study suggests the covid-19 death toll across the u-s could reach about a million deaths by the end of february.

Researchers say if states shut down when their daily death rate exceeds 8 deaths per 1 million people -- and mask-wearing doesn't change -- the forecasted death toll could reach more than 511-thousand by the end of february.

But, if most americans wear masks -- and states re-impose social distancing mandates if death rates sharply rise -- the death toll projection would be at its lowest.

For today's health minute, i'm mandy gaither.

C1 3 heres where the conclusions came from..

Researchers analyzed data on covid-19 cases and deaths in the u-s from the beginning of february through the third week of september.

They used those numbers along with other factors -- to help determine projections for the pandemic through february.

The study had some limitations, including that the findings are only forecast projections from models and not definitive of what the future holds.

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