As many people will have heard, this year’s flu season has come earlier than usual, and crucially there’s no sign yet that it has peaked. Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, Professor Matt Ashton, writes about whether people should wear masks to help stop the spread of the virus…
Across the UK and much of the Northern Hemisphere, cases of influenza are rising rapidly, placing additional pressure on families, workplaces, schools — and most importantly, our NHS services during an already demanding winter period. Locally is no different, many people are reporting being unwell, and we are seeing increased pressure in our local hospitals.
This is an untimely reminder that flu is a serious virus, 7,000 people died in England last year as a result of flu, with it spreading more quickly during winter when we spend more time indoors.
Faced with this surge, a common question has returned: should I wear a mask?
Let’s be clear: the decision to wear a mask isn’t a simple answer of “yes” or “no” for everyone at all times. Instead, it’s about understanding when mask use is sensible, what masks can and cannot do, and how they fit alongside other protective behaviours.
What the evidence says about masks
Masks work by blocking respiratory droplets that can carry viruses — both from the person who is infected, and, to a lesser extent, from exposure to others. Research on masks for influenza shows mixed results: some studies find modest reductions in influenza-like illness when masks are worn in community settings, especially when combined with hand hygiene, while others find limited additional protection on their own.
Importantly therefore, masks are just one tool that can be used as part of a broader range of measures to protect ourselves and others, not a standalone solution in itself.
When it makes sense to wear a mask
If you are unwell with flu-like symptoms and must go out in public — for example, to collect essential items or attend a necessary medical appointment — wearing a mask can help reduce the risk that you pass the virus to others. This is especially true in enclosed, crowded spaces with poor ventilation and where physical distancing isn’t possible.
Staff, patients and visitors to hospitals may also be asked to wear masks to help prevent spread of infection to vulnerable patients .
However, for people who are well with no symptoms of flu going about everyday life, the evidence does not strongly support routine mask wearing as the primary protective measure against flu. That doesn’t mean don’t wear a mask, it’s a personal choice. Just that taking other measures are probably better and more effective.
Other measures that work
While masks can help, the biggest impact comes from well-established public health behaviours:
🌡️ Get vaccinated. The flu vaccine remains the single most effective way to protect yourself and others from serious illness. Even though the strain circulating this season has changed, vaccination reduces severity and hospitalisations.
🧼 Good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Use the familiar “Catch It, Bin It, Kill It” approach — catch coughs and sneezes in a tissue, bin it, and wash your hands thoroughly. Use your elbow or sleeve if you don’t have a tissue. Find more information about what steps you can take at https://www.simplethings-nhs.com/.
💨 Open the window and let fresh air in. Fresh air reduces the concentration of virus particles indoors.
Clean frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs and remotes as viruses can land on surfaces and be transferred by touch to nose and mouth and possibly eyes.
🏡 Try to stay at home if you’re unwell and avoid contact with other people, until you no longer have a high temperature or feel unwell. It is particularly important to stay away from people who are vulnerable to serious illness from flu.
The bottom line
Masks can reduce the risk that you pass infection to others if you’re symptomatic and may be recommended in healthcare settings. But they work best as part of a package of protective behaviours, rather than as a sole strategy.
As a community, we all have a role to play this winter: choose sensible precautions, get vaccinated, and look out for one another. Doing so helps protect our families, our workforce, and our vital health services.
Together, we can lessen the impact of this early and challenging flu season.
