Send to a Friend

Do populations that have traditionally worn face coverings also have a lower overall incidence of communicable disease?
Muslim women, say, or desert peoples: do they simply have, overall, lower rates of colds, respiratory viruses, flu, and so on, than the general population? And if so, is their style of dress a known factor?
What about people in the coldest climates? a higher or lower rate of contagion?
Using Fluther
or