Abstract：
BACKGROUND: The emergence of COVID-19 resulted in a substantial loss of education because of global school closures. Face masks are a potential measure to restrain the COVID-19 spread; therefore, this paper evaluated the effectiveness of face masks in reducing COVID-19 incidence in school settings.
METHODS: A systematic review was conducted by searching the literature in the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register and the World Health Organization COVID-19 global literature. Data were summarized in tabular forms, and the findings were presented as narrative synthesis.
RESULTS: A total of 15,709 records were retrieved. The screening and selection led to the inclusion of 12 observational and 2 quasi-experimental studies. Nine studies were conducted in different states, counties, or districts of the United States, and the remaining 5 were reported from Germany, Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The results of 10 out of 14 studies favored mask use in reducing school COVID-19 incidence. Three studies found no link between mask use and COVID-19 incidences, whereas 1 quasi-experimental study noted a higher COVID-19 incidence with mask use in students aged 6-11 years than no use of mask among preschool children aged 3-5 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Mask mandates may lessen the incidence of respiratory infectious diseases in school settings during a pandemic; more well-designed studies are warranted to clarify further the evidence regarding mask use in school settings.
METHODS: A systematic review was conducted by searching the literature in the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register and the World Health Organization COVID-19 global literature. Data were summarized in tabular forms, and the findings were presented as narrative synthesis.
RESULTS: A total of 15,709 records were retrieved. The screening and selection led to the inclusion of 12 observational and 2 quasi-experimental studies. Nine studies were conducted in different states, counties, or districts of the United States, and the remaining 5 were reported from Germany, Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The results of 10 out of 14 studies favored mask use in reducing school COVID-19 incidence. Three studies found no link between mask use and COVID-19 incidences, whereas 1 quasi-experimental study noted a higher COVID-19 incidence with mask use in students aged 6-11 years than no use of mask among preschool children aged 3-5 years.
CONCLUSIONS: Mask mandates may lessen the incidence of respiratory infectious diseases in school settings during a pandemic; more well-designed studies are warranted to clarify further the evidence regarding mask use in school settings.
摘要：
背景：由于全球学校关闭，COVID-19的出现导致了大量的教育损失。口罩是抑制COVID-19传播的潜在措施；因此，本文评估了口罩在降低学校环境中COVID-19发病率的有效性.
方法：通过检索CochraneCOVID-19研究注册中心和世界卫生组织COVID-19全球文献进行系统评价。数据以表格形式汇总，这些发现被呈现为叙事综合。
结果：共检索了15,709条记录。筛选和选择导致纳入12项观察性研究和2项准实验研究。九项研究在不同的州进行，郡,或美国的地区，其余5人来自德国，芬兰,西班牙,和英国。14项研究中有10项的结果支持使用口罩减少学校COVID-19的发病率。三项研究发现口罩使用与COVID-19发病率之间没有联系，而一项准实验研究指出,6-11岁学生使用口罩的COVID-19发生率高于3-5岁学龄前儿童不使用口罩的发生率.
结论：口罩授权可能会在大流行期间降低学校环境中呼吸道传染病的发病率；需要更精心设计的研究来进一步阐明有关在学校环境中使用口罩的证据。
方法：通过检索CochraneCOVID-19研究注册中心和世界卫生组织COVID-19全球文献进行系统评价。数据以表格形式汇总，这些发现被呈现为叙事综合。
结果：共检索了15,709条记录。筛选和选择导致纳入12项观察性研究和2项准实验研究。九项研究在不同的州进行，郡,或美国的地区，其余5人来自德国，芬兰,西班牙,和英国。14项研究中有10项的结果支持使用口罩减少学校COVID-19的发病率。三项研究发现口罩使用与COVID-19发病率之间没有联系，而一项准实验研究指出,6-11岁学生使用口罩的COVID-19发生率高于3-5岁学龄前儿童不使用口罩的发生率.
结论：口罩授权可能会在大流行期间降低学校环境中呼吸道传染病的发病率；需要更精心设计的研究来进一步阐明有关在学校环境中使用口罩的证据。
