How do you envision your research contributing to the broader field or addressing real-world issues? Our findings provided the first real-world evidence that mask use before symptom onset reduced household transmission efficiently, shifting global discourse on early masking and highlighting the importance of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission, which later became accepted. At the time, asymptomatic transmission was not widely accepted. There was a great deal of controversy over whether wearing masks could reduce the spread of the virus and whether the public should wear masks at that time. The study’s later inclusion in WHO and national guidelines validated its relevance. By proving that simple interventions work, even in crowded homes, we showed how families - especially in resource-limited settings - could take actionable steps without relying solely on healthcare systems. What motivated you to publish your work in an open access format? Given the urgent global need for accessible scientific knowledge during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, open access ensured that our findings would reach not only researchers but also frontline healthcare workers, policymakers, and the public. This aligned with our goal of maximizing the practical application of research. Open access allowed rapid translation of our mask-related evidence into public health action, such as WHO guidelines and community mask mandates.
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