NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Vanderbilt researchers say Tennessee counties with mask requirements and other mitigation strategies have seen a slower growth in COVID-19 hospitalizations than those areas without such requirements.
Vanderbilt released its findings on the link between masking requirements and hospitalizations on Monday, saying so far, 26 counties have implemented mask mandates. The report found that hospitalizations have been stable or have declined in areas where masks are required, compared to areas without a mask requirement.
Researchers say they used historical patient flow data – which indicates the ZIP codes from where hospitals typically receive their patients –and daily hospitalization data to group hospitals by the percentage of patients they typically see from areas that have mask mandates.
They say hospitals that have mostly patients from areas without masking requirements have seen, on average, a more than 200% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations relative to their July 1 hospitalization totals.
Additionally, researchers say hospitals that have more than 75% of their patients from areas without masking requirements in place have seen a relatively faster increase in patients than hospitals with higher percentages of patients from areas with masking requirements.
However, Vanderbilt also said it’s hard to say if mask mandates were the only reason for this trend because other mitigation measures – like restrictions on large gatherings and some businesses – are often in place, as well in these areas.
“Again, we can’t say for sure that masking is the reason this is happening because there are often other interventions in places like Nashville and Memphis where bars and restaurants are limited, but we do see a clear relationship between areas where masks are required and hospitalizations for the coronavirus,” said John Graves, PhD, associate professor of Health Policy and director of the Center for Health Economic Modeling at Vanderbilt.
Last week, Dr. Deborah Birx listed Tennessee among a group of states where the spread of the virus is "concerning." Read Vanderbilt's full report on masking requirements and hospitalizations here.
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COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
