[ad_1]
The pandemic forced us to deal with an insidious virus: technically, there is no place where Covid cannot go. However, as experts have repeatedly pointed out, recent studies have shown how the chances of spreading the coronavirus indoors increase, due to the transmission of aerosols, exposing people to a greater risk than in an open environment.
Coronavirus, how much can remain in the air
The asymptomatic and the so-called “super speakers”, to date, represent the main risk factor Or at least they play a crucial role in the spread of the virus. They are often not easily identifiable and, as far as we know, we can come into contact with them without knowing it. The best way to protect yourself, therefore, remains prevention.
According to a study by American engineer Suresh Dhaniyala, a professor at Clarkson University, the spread of Covid depends on the speed at which aerosol particles can spread, especially in a closed environment. Specifically, no Airborne coronavirus particles take a long time to spread through a room – at first, only people who sit near an infected person are high riskBut over time the virus spreads through aerosols and reaches everyone.
Dhaniyala, with the intention of studying and understanding the spread of Covid indoors, injected aerosol particles similar in size to humans into a room and then monitored them with special sensors. Together with the scientists who allowed him to carry out his experiment, he used a university classroom designed to house 30 students, with a ventilation system that met the recommended standards.
When the researchers released particles to the front of the classroom, they reached the back of the classroom. within 10-15 minutes. However, it was shown that due to active ventilation in the room, the concentrations in the back were even lower. This experiment, as Dhaniyala explained, suggests that with adequate ventilation the risk of contracting Covid could be limited to a small number of people close to the infected person.
Finally, it is important to remember that not all parts of a room have the same risk rate. The corners of a room, for example, will likely have less air exchange, so aerosol particles can stay there longer. Similarly, being near a vent could mean exposing yourself to all the airborne particles from the rest of the room that, once “sucked” into the duct, inevitably end up overwhelming the people who come into contact with that flow.
Coronavirus, the role of aerosol particles
In the past, as the study points out, the transmission of respiratory diseases has focused on the role of the larger particles that are generated by sneezing and coughing. These drops quickly fall to the ground and social distancing and the use of personal protection masks can prevent infection.
With Covid, however, a different story applies. What worries most now, in fact, is the role tiny particles play in spreading the virus, or the aforementioned aerosol particles, which are generated when we speak, sing or simply breathe. These particles, often smaller than 5 microns, can even escape fabric masks and remain airborne. up to approximately 12 hours.
How to reduce the risk of transmission indoors
According to scientists, one of the best ways to maintain high levels of security in the home (or otherwise in a closed environment) would pay attention to safety distance, trying to respect the spacing rules not only outdoors, but always.
It is now known that Covid is not transmitted only by direct contact, but can spread through the air, remaining suspended within an environment for a more or less long period of time. So, even if we meet a person who is positive for the Coronavirus, maintaining the appropriate distance and avoiding direct contact with them may be the only behavior that, in particular, does not expose us to the risk of contagion in the short term.
In addition to respecting the rules of spacing indoors, it reduces the possibility of transmission of the virus through aerosols access to adequate ventilation channels. As a result, moist, unventilated areas can serve as a means for the virus to spread.
Professor Suresh Dhaniyala’s study was published in The Wire Science magazine – click here to read the full article.
[ad_2]
