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Maintaining mask momentum in transplant recipients
Author(s) -
Puius Yoram A.,
Bartash Rachel M.,
Zingman Barry S.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1111/tid.13697
Subject(s) - medicine , masking (illustration) , intensive care medicine , pandemic , infection control , psychological intervention , transplantation , covid-19 , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , nursing , art , visual arts
The widespread use of facemasks has been a crucial element in the control of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic. With mounting evidence for mask efficacy against respiratory infectious diseases and greater acceptability of this intervention, it is proposed that masking should continue after the pandemic has abated to protect some of our most vulnerable patients, recipients of stem cell and solid organ transplants. This may involve not only masking these high‐risk patients, but possibly their close contacts and the healthcare workers involved in their care. We review the evidence for mask efficacy in prevention of respiratory viruses other than SARS‐CoV‐2 and address the burden of disease in transplant recipients. Although we acknowledge that there are limited data on masking to prevent infection in transplant recipients, we propose a framework for the study and implementation of routine masking as a part of infection prevention interventions after transplantation.