Wearing a face mask could help beat coronavirus by exposing people to milder forms of the killer bug and so leading to community-level immunity, a new study claims.
Face masks have been widely heralded for preventing other people getting infected by blocking the coughs and sneezes of those wearing them.
But now scientists also believe they make the symptoms of those who do get the infection less severe by reducing the amount of virus droplets they are exposed to.
The paper, by infectious disease experts from the University of California, presents evidence to suggest that masks cut down on the amount of viral droplets getting into the airways.
And therefore result in higher rates of asymptomatic or milder infection.
A lower initial dose of Sars-Cov-2, in theory, gives the immune system a better chance of fighting the bug without the risk of getting severely ill - allowing for a greater chance of immunity while a vaccine is developed.
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"Exposing society to SARS-Cov-2 without the consequences of severe illness with public masking could lead to greater community-level immunity and slower spread as we await a vaccine," the report states.
Face coverings are to be mandatory in England in shops and supermarkets from July 24, and have been on public transport since June.
The paper is due to be published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Co-author Monica Gandhi, associate division chief of the infectious diseases programme at San Francisco General Hospital told the Times said masks lead to a "lower dose" of the virus.
"You will get in a lower dose of virus if you wear a mask and are exposed to Covid-19 and are very likely to have mild or no symptoms."
She said the government "should go towards universal population-level masking", as a result, including in all workplaces.
Other scientists argue masks simply give a false sense of security and believe there hasn't been enough trialling to prove otherwise.
None of the evidence in the latest paper comes from controlled trials involving humans.
It comes as Boris Johnson prepares to assemble his Cabinet in person for the first time in four months later today as the Government presses ahead with plans to secure millions of doses of a potential Covid-19 vaccine.
While Health Secretary Matt Hancock is likely to be quizzed on the vaccines and the latest NHS Test and Trace results when he appears before the Commons Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday.
