Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has currently affected more than 200 countries and caused around four million cases. Face masks are recommended for preventing the contagion. The Guatemalan government issued a decree for the mandatory use of face masks in public places. In order to find out the frequency of v...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud |
| Online Access: | https://revistas.usac.edu.gt/index.php/cytes/article/view/894 |
| _version_ | 1829518823325171712 |
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| author | Dennis Guerra-Centeno Luisa Burmester-Ruiz Paula Guerra-Burmester Dennis Guerra-Burmester Federico Villatoro-Paz |
| author_facet | Dennis Guerra-Centeno Luisa Burmester-Ruiz Paula Guerra-Burmester Dennis Guerra-Burmester Federico Villatoro-Paz |
| author_sort | Dennis Guerra-Centeno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic has currently affected more than 200 countries and caused around four million cases. Face masks are recommended for preventing the contagion. The Guatemalan government issued a decree for the mandatory use of face masks in public places. In order to find out the frequency of voluntary and mandatory use of face masks by Guatemalans we conducted a case study divided in two episodes (pre and post mandatory use decree) by driving a 27.8 km car transect through 11 of the 22 zones of Guatemala City and observing the use of face mask by pedestrians walking on the sides of the transect. Pedestrians were visually classified by age category (children [< 12 years], juveniles [12-21 years], adults [21-65 years] and elders [> 65 years]) and gender. During the pre-decree observation, we registered 476 individuals using a face mask and 674 not using or using them improperly. During the post-decree observation, we registered 797 individuals using face mask and 211 not using or using them improperly. In general, the frequency of face mask use was higher in the post-decree sample. Males used masks less frequent than females, especially the elders and before the decree became mandatory. Although the mandatory use decree managed to increase the frequency of the use of the mask, there is a portion of the population that is not using it or that is using it improperly, so this should be considered by the health authorities who are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:27:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37ab8a25bb9342e0a01d27cc7b322022 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2410-6356 2409-3459 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T14:27:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud |
| spelling | doaj.art-37ab8a25bb9342e0a01d27cc7b3220222022-12-21T22:28:19ZengUniversidad de San Carlos de GuatemalaCiencia, Tecnología y Salud2410-63562409-34592020-11-017310.36829/63CTS.v7i3.894Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemicDennis Guerra-Centeno0Luisa Burmester-RuizPaula Guerra-BurmesterDennis Guerra-BurmesterFederico Villatoro-PazInstituto de Investigación en Ciencia Animal y Ecosalud, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala.The COVID-19 pandemic has currently affected more than 200 countries and caused around four million cases. Face masks are recommended for preventing the contagion. The Guatemalan government issued a decree for the mandatory use of face masks in public places. In order to find out the frequency of voluntary and mandatory use of face masks by Guatemalans we conducted a case study divided in two episodes (pre and post mandatory use decree) by driving a 27.8 km car transect through 11 of the 22 zones of Guatemala City and observing the use of face mask by pedestrians walking on the sides of the transect. Pedestrians were visually classified by age category (children [< 12 years], juveniles [12-21 years], adults [21-65 years] and elders [> 65 years]) and gender. During the pre-decree observation, we registered 476 individuals using a face mask and 674 not using or using them improperly. During the post-decree observation, we registered 797 individuals using face mask and 211 not using or using them improperly. In general, the frequency of face mask use was higher in the post-decree sample. Males used masks less frequent than females, especially the elders and before the decree became mandatory. Although the mandatory use decree managed to increase the frequency of the use of the mask, there is a portion of the population that is not using it or that is using it improperly, so this should be considered by the health authorities who are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.https://revistas.usac.edu.gt/index.php/cytes/article/view/894 |
| spellingShingle | Dennis Guerra-Centeno Luisa Burmester-Ruiz Paula Guerra-Burmester Dennis Guerra-Burmester Federico Villatoro-Paz Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic Ciencia, Tecnología y Salud |
| title | Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in Guatemala City during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | voluntary and mandatory use of face mask by pedestrians in guatemala city during the covid 19 pandemic |
| url | https://revistas.usac.edu.gt/index.php/cytes/article/view/894 |
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