Scientists have calculated: this is where you are most at risk of infection indoors



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It has been proven that the corona virus can stay in the air for a long time and spread farther than previously thought. In addition to close contact with infected people and contact with contaminated surfaces, the virus can also spread through airborne particles indoors at a distance of two meters, increasing the importance of physical distance.

The US Environmental Protection Agency states that the spread of the virus is also influenced by the design of the building, the type of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

This agency recommends increasing outdoor ventilation, with a measure of physical distance, surface disinfection, hand washing, and other precautions.

The first sign that the room is not sufficiently ventilated, that is, that the ventilation system is not used sufficiently, is the stagnation of air that is felt as soon as you enter a certain space. Scientists note that a sufficient amount of fresh air dilutes the virus particles, making it less infectious to humans.

“The more fresh air, the lower the risk of virus recirculation through the building,” the University of Leeds said, adding that it is better to exchange air from those that are 100 percent fresh, which can avoid high costs.

The “BBC” cites a study in China that showed that an inadequate ventilation system led to the spread of the virus to nine people from a person who was infected but (yet) had no symptoms.

And the best ventilation systems are the ones that bring the air to the roof end units. On the other hand, some research has shown that certain filters retain virus particles, but not completely. Scientists believe that studying the permeability of the filter could indicate where the infection will spread, meaning that new cases of infection could be prevented.

Regular disinfection of surfaces is important, but also wearing masks and keeping your distance.

Regular disinfection of surfaces is important, but also wearing masks and keeping your distance. Photo: Profimedia

Experts are divided on the effectiveness of the ventilation used in Germany and on the possibility of an infected person sitting next to an open space. They wonder: where will the air released by that person go, if the air flow returns it to the interior?

However, some experts believe that sitting near a ventilation, artificial or natural, is safer because the air circulates and there is less chance of keeping contaminated particles there.

The type of infection risk that threatens indoors becomes even more important with the arrival of colder weather when less time is spent outdoors.

Scientists caution that in addition to following recommended distance measurements and wearing a mask, it is also important where you are in the room.

Engineers conducted research to determine how aerosols move, and then demonstrated how important good ventilation is in rooms where there are more people, writes “Mondo rs.” When ventilation is effective, the indoor air changes more with the outdoor air, and there is less chance of aerosols staying in one place.

The scientists also investigated the time required for the virus aerosols to flow through the room. When particles are released at the front of a large ventilated room, they need 10-15 minutes to reach the end of the room. Ventilation contributes to the concentration of particles in the rear being only one tenth of the amount of particles in the front, and the corners of the room are characterized as the most risky places, where the air flow is usually smaller, so contaminated particles last longer.



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