Evaluation of Locally Produced Cloth Face Mask on COVID-19 and Respiratory Illnesses Prevention at the Community Level - a Cluster-randomized Trial

The number of cases of COVID-19 is still increasing and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 seems to occur mainly through person-to-person transmission through respiratory droplets, indirect contact with infected people and surfaces. The use of face masks is recommended as a public health measure, but in many settings only domestic cloth made masks are available to the majority of the people. However, masks can be of different quality and very little is known about the utility of cloth face masks at the community level.

In Bandim Health Project's Health and Demographic Surveillance System we will evaluate the effect of providing locally produced cloth face masks on severity of COVID-19 like illness and mortality in an urban population. The locally produced cloth mask is made according to a laboratory certified model and will be provided to the intervention group alongside information of how the risk of transmission can be reduced. The control group will receive information alone.

Follow-up will be implemented through telephone calls and post-epidemic home visits.