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The saliva microgroots generated during speech can remain suspended in the air in a closed space for more than ten minutes.
Saliva microdrops generated during speech can remain suspended in the air in a closed space for more than ten minutes, according to a study published on Wednesday (13), which highlights the probable role of this mechanism in the spread of the new coronavirus.
The spread of Sars-Cov-2 by coughing and sneezing is widely known, but when we speak, we also project invisible droplets of saliva that may contain viral particles.
The smaller, the more they remain suspended in the air, while the heavier ones, due to the effect of gravity, fall faster to the ground.
Exhaled air transmission is well studied for viruses such as measles, which is one of the most contagious, known, and capable of microscopic droplets, but researchers are still trying to quantify this type of transmission for the virus that causes Covid-19. .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi8XpiXwD50
Researchers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) had a person repeat the phrase “stay healthy” out loud for 25 seconds in a closed box.
In the experiment, a laser projected onto the box illuminated the drops, allowing them to be seen and counted. The drops remained in the air for an average of 12 minutes.
Considering the known concentration of coronavirus in saliva, scientists estimate that speaking aloud can generate the equivalent per minute of more than 1,000 contaminated drops, capable of staying in the air for 8 minutes or more in an enclosed space.
“This direct visualization demonstrates how normal speech generates droplets in the air that can remain suspended for tens of minutes or more and are capable of transmitting disease in confined spaces,” the researchers concluded.
In an article published in the April NEJM magazine, the same team found that speaking less loudly produced fewer drops.
Confirming the level of contagion of Sars-Cov-2 by speaking and not only by the saliva drops that fall on the switches, ramps or door handles will help to scientifically justify the use of the mask, now recommended in many countries, and to explain the high contagion of the virus.
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