Health

Masking bird flu: US students volunteer for study

by Kaitlin | February 19, 2007 at 09:47 am

1237 views | 15 Recommendations | 2 comments

It's interesting that this study is mostly seeking to discover what psychological effects the masks have on other people. That masks are commonplace in Asian countries doesn't make it any easier for westerners to get past our associations with them--dentists, doctors, etc.--and to therefore feel put off by the cold, clinical feel of someone in a mask.

ANN ARBOR, Mich (Reuters) - Heather Vogt has agreed not to show her face around campus these days.

But it's not shame that keeps the 23-year-old University of Michigan senior in disguise. Vogt is part of the first U.S. study examining whether surgical masks, hand sanitizer and other preventive measures can slow the spread of the flu.

"It's a little warm and it's a little annoying to wear but for the most part it's pretty easy," said Vogt, one of more than 1,000 students who have signed up for the experiment. "You just kind of ignore it after a while."

Not everyone Vogt encounters has such a relaxed response to her mask.

"It's like the pictures you saw from China when they had the SARS breakout," said Dominique Lee, 21, a fellow student who was visiting Vogt's dorm last week. "It also blocks communication. You're scared to talk to her because she has a barrier on."

Researchers are paying close attention to reactions like these. In addition to tracking whether the wearing of surgical masks is effective in slowing the spread of influenza, they are trying to get a handle on how readily it could be accepted by a general population in the event of a bird flu pandemic.