Cochrane · systematic review · CD006207
Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses
Jefferson, T, Dooley, L, Ferroni, E, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2023 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
12
current version
GRADE rated
12
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 4 · 33.3%Low 4 · 33.3%Moderate 4 · 33.3%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyMedical/surgical masks compared to no masks for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: general population
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Viral respiratory illness ‐ influenza/COVID‐like illness Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | RR 0.95 [0.84, 1.09] | 9 studies · 276917 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Viral respiratory illness ‐ laboratory‐confirmed influenza/SARS‐CoV‐2 Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | RR 1.01 [0.72, 1.42] | 6 studies · 13919 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse events Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 3 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
N95 respirators compared to medical/surgical masks for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: general population and healthcare workers
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Viral respiratory illness ‐ clinical respiratory illness N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 0.7 [0.45, 1.1] | 3 studies · 7799 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Viral respiratory illness ‐ influenza‐like illness N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 0.82 [0.66, 1.03] | 5 studies · 8407 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Viral respiratory illness ‐ laboratory‐confirmed influenza N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 1.1 [0.9, 1.34] | 5 studies · 8407 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse events N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 5 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Hand hygiene compared to control for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: general population and healthcare workers
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Acute respiratory illness Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.86 [0.81, 0.9] | 9 studies · 52105 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Influenza‐like illness Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.94 [0.81, 1.09] | 11 studies · 34503 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Laboratory‐confirmed influenza Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.91 [0.63, 1.3] | 8 studies · 8332 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency |
Composite of acute respiratory illness, influenza‐like illness, laboratory‐confirmed influenza Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.89 [0.83, 0.94] | 19 studies · 71210 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Adverse events Hand hygiene vs control | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 2 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Medical/surgical masks compared to no masks for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: general population and healthcare workers
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Viral illness ‐ influenza‐like illness Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | RR 0.99 [0.82, 1.18] | 9 studies · 3507 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Viral illness ‐ laboratory‐confirmed influenza Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | RR 0.91 [0.66, 1.26] | 6 studies · 3005 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Influenza‐like illness in healthcare workers Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | RR 0.37 [0.05, 2.5] | 2 studies · 1070 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Adverse events Medical/surgical masks vs no masks | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 3 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
N95 respirators compared to medical/surgical masks for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: healthcare workers and general population
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Viral illness ‐ clinical respiratory illness N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 0.7 [0.45, 1.1] | 3 studies · 7799 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Viral illness ‐ influenza‐like illness N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 0.82 [0.66, 1.03] | 5 studies · 8407 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Viral illness ‐ laboratory‐confirmed influenza N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | RR 1.1 [0.9, 1.34] | 5 studies · 8407 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse events N95 respirators vs medical/surgical masks | no estimate extracted | 5 studies · 5 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Hand hygiene compared to control for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illness
Population: prevention of spread of viral respiratory illness
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Acute respiratory illness Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.84 [0.82, 0.86] | 7 studies · 44129 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Influenza‐like illness Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.98 [0.85, 1.13] | 10 studies · 32641 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Laboratory‐confirmed influenza Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.91 [0.63, 1.3] | 8 studies · 8332 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency |
Composite of acute respiratory illness, influenza‐like illness, influenza Hand hygiene vs control | RR 0.89 [0.84, 0.95] | 16 studies · 61372 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Adverse events Hand hygiene vs control | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 2 participants | Very low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |