Table 3.

Percentage increase (denoted by a ‘+’ sign) or reduction (denoted by a ‘−’ sign) in cumulative mortality by 30 April 2021 (in comparison with the 570 000 projected baseline value), if only cloth, improved cloth, surgical or respirators (or equivalent) mask is used in the USA, for various levels of reduction in community transmission due to the implementation of other NPIs implemented at the beginning of the third wave (as depicted in figure 4).

mask type	cr = 0.05	cr = 0.10	cr = 0.15	cr = 0.20
cloth mask (${\epsilon }_m=30\text{\%}$)	$+20\text{\%}$	$+5\text{\%}$	$-11\text{\%}$	$-30\text{\%}$
improved cloth mask (${\epsilon }_m=50\text{\%}$)	$-16\text{\%}$	$-32\text{\%}$	$-45\text{\%}$	$-52\text{\%}$
surgical mask (${\epsilon }_m=70\text{\%}$)	$-50\text{\%}$	$-54\text{\%}$	$-57\text{\%}$	$-58\text{\%}$
respirator or equivalent (${\epsilon }_m=95\text{\%}$)	$-58\text{\%}$	$-59\text{\%}$	$-59\text{\%}$	$-60\text{\%}$