Rasha Msallam member picture

Rasha Msallam

Senior Research Fellow, Duke-NUS Medical School

Expertise: Immunology

Telegraph article describing the hypothesis that face masks can variolate a population receives mixed reviews on its scientific accuracy

“The Telegraph headline is obviously misleading but the subheading is accurate. Masks don’t give immunity; rather, the argument is that infections are milder or asymptomatic and allow immunity without severe disease. The article is essentially true to the NEJM commentary, however a reader could become confused and think that the article suggests masks give you COVID-19 immunity.”