The history and value of face masks
Christiane Matuschek, Friedrich Moll, Heiner Fangerau, Johannes Fischer, Kurt S. Zänker, Martijn van Griensven, Marion Schneider, Detlef Kindgen‐Milles, Wolfram Trudo Knoefel, Artur Lichtenberg, Bálint Tamaskovics, Freddy Joel Djiepmo-Njanang, Wilfried Budach, Stefanie Corradini, Dieter Häussinger, Torsten Feldt, Björn‐Erik Ole Jensen, Rainer B. Pelka, Klaus Orth, Matthias Peiper, Olaf Grebe, Kitti Maas, Edwin Bölke, Jan Haussmann
Abstract
In the human population, social contacts are a key for transmission of bacteria and viruses. The use of face masks seems to be critical to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 for the period, in which therapeutic interventions are lacking. In this review, we describe the history of masks from the middle age to modern times.