Why the effectiveness of a face mask is not limited to infection control

Abstract

Copyright: ©2020 The Authors. Published by Archetype Health Pty Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. SUMMARY Wearing a face mask when in a public space or at work is now mandatory in Melbourne, Australia. In this editorial, we frame the adoption of masks as a trigger for behaviour change supported by theories that suggest that the mask has significant potential in this regard. The effectiveness of the mandated use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic may have benefits beyond the simple preventative effects—it could be the measure that turns the tide in a pandemic that looks set to reverse the benefits of a previous lockdown in this state.