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Six Minute English.

From BBC Learning English.

Hello, this is six. English.

Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.

I'm Rob.

And I'm Sam.

With the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic,

people in many countries around the world have started wearing

face masks to protect both themselves and others they come into contact with.

In this program we'll be asking whether wearing masks in public can help prevent the spread of

coronavirus in the community.

Face masks have long been popular in some Asian countries but with the spread of COVID-19, they're increasingly

being seen in other parts of the world too.

Wearing a protective mask or face covering is nothing new.

Medical masks have a long history from the

plagues of medieval Europe to 19th century outbreaks of cholera in the United States.

But when did they start to be commonly used?

That's my question for today.

When and where were face masks first widely used?

Was it A, 1855 in Vienna, or C.

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