Will wearing a mask help in preventing transmission of the disease?

Respiratory: Yes...Those spread from a respiratory perspective; but only if the "mask" has the filtering power to protect against the type of disease in question.

Possibly: Wearing a respiratory mask may help in preventing certain diseases. However, it is generally not considered helpful for viral infections (i. E. Colds and flu's) as these viral particles are small enough to easily pass through the masks. Best disease prevention technique is good hand washing.

Somewhat: While wearing a mask does help prevent spread of respiratory ilness to some extent, the protection is short lived. After 15-20 minutes, a typical paper or cotton mask becomes saturated with humid air and viruses become capable of passing through the screen. Touching or adjusting the mask, like when you cough, also spreads illness to the hand so you still have to wash hands. So there are limits.