JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The rapid global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has compelled national governments to begin issuing guidance on the use of face masks for members of the general public. To date, no work has assessed how this guidance differs across governments.

Objective:

This study seeks to contribute to a rational and consistent global response to infectious disease by establishing an understanding how guidelines differ across nations and regions.

Methods:

A quantitative content analysis of health agency mask guidelines on agency websites was performed in late March 2020 among the 25 countries/regions with the largest numbers of COVID-19 cases. Countries were assigned across the coding team by language proficiency, with Google Translate used as needed. When available, both the original and English language version of guidance were reviewed.

Results:

All examined countries/regions had some form of guidance online, although detail and clarity differed. While nine countries/regions recommended masks in public and/or poorly ventilated places, sixteen explicitly recommended against people wearing masks in public. Twelve failed to outline basic World Health Organization guidance for masks.

Conclusions:

Online guidelines for face mask use to prevent COVID-19 in the general public are currently inconsistent across nations/regions. Efforts to create greater standardization and clarity should be explored in light of the status of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.