Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.37797/ig.42.4.4
Differences in exposure environments of coronavirus disease 2019 under no-mask conditions: a confirmatory study
Taketsune Kobuchi
; Department of Emergency, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan
Hidenori Onishi
; Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
*
Ippei Sakamaki
; Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
Hirofumi Miyashita
; Department of Health and Welfare, Fukui Prefecture, Fukui, Japan
Hiromichi Iwasaki
; Division of Infection and Clinical Immunology, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan
Hiroyuki Hayashi
; Department of Emergency, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan; Department of Family Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Fukui, Japan
Osamu Yamamura
; Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
We aimed to identify the locations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections in Fukui prefecture due to lack of mask usage and to determine infection status in older people without mask wearing. Of 286 COVID-19-positive individuals, 242 were likely infected through “talking, eating, or drinking without wearing a mask.” We conducted an ordinal logistic regression to determine the relationship between age and SARS-CoV-2 infection factors during a non-Omicron outbreak. Odds ratios (ORs) indicated high risk among older patients in hospitals and nursing facilities (OR: 15.2, confidence interval [CI]: 1.980–118.000) and low risk among students in schools (OR: 0.09, CI: 0.012–0.632). The Cochran–Armitage test demonstrated a decreasing trend in age for “school/college” and an increasing trend in age for “hospitals/nursing facilities”. Infections occurred most at home, where masks were not used; hospitals/nursing care facilities were the most common places of infection for people ≥60 years old.
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; masks; hospitals; nursing care facilities
Hrčak ID:
338858
URI
Publication date:
19.11.2025.
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