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COVID-19: Without Masks, Two Metres Distancing is Not Enough

posted by martyb on Wednesday October 06 2021, @04:12PM   

upstart writes:

COVID-19: Without masks, two metres distancing is not enough:

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors, the two metres physical distancing guideline is not enough without masks, according to researchers from Quebec, Illinois, and Texas. However, wearing a mask indoors can reduce the contamination range of airborne particles by about 67 percent.

“Mask mandates and good ventilation are critically important to curb the spread of more contagious strains of COVID-19, especially during the flu season and winter months as more people socialize indoors,” says Saad Akhtar, a former doctoral student under the supervision of Professor Agus Sasmito at McGill University.

While most public health guidelines recommend physical distancing of two metres for people from different households, the researchers say distancing alone is not enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In a study published in Building and Environment, the researchers found that when people are unmasked, more than 70 percent of airborne particles pass the two metres threshold within the 30 seconds. By contrast, less than 1 percent of particles cross the two-metre mark if masks are worn.

Coughing is one of the main sources of spread of airborne viruses from symptomatic individuals.

Journal Reference:
Jayaveera Muthusamy, Syed Haq, Saad Akhtar, et al. Implication of coughing dynamics on safe social distancing in an indoor environment—A numerical perspective Building and Environment (DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108280)

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Original Submission

• Re:Aren't the coughing persons NOT asymptomatic? Re:Aren't the coughing persons NOT asymptomatic? (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @06:56PM (4 children)

  by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @06:56PM (#1184831)

  A stupid excuse indeed, as befits The Stupid Party.

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• What would Forest's mama say? What would Forest's mama say? (Score: 3, Informative) by Tork on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:06PM (3 children)

  by Tork (3914) on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:06PM (#1184837)

  The voters for one party are being killed disproportionately, so go right on ahead calling political parties 'stupid'. ;)

  --
  🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

  Parent

  • Re:What would Forest's mama say? Re:What would Forest's mama say? (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:23PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:23PM (#1184854)

    The millenials are mostly lefties and lefties do not understand correlations? The Stupid Party indeed.

    "A man who has not been a socialist before 25 has no heart. If he remains one after 25 he has no head."

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    • Re:What would Forest's mama say? (Score: 2) by Tork on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:27PM

      by Tork (3914) on Wednesday October 06 2021, @07:27PM (#1184859)

      Heh maybe I play GTAV too much but I sometimes wonder if I'm talking to an NPC.

      --
      🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

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    • Re:What would Forest's mama say? (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @09:31PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 06 2021, @09:31PM (#1184955)

      Since reality has a liberal bias your conservative wisdom is just fantasy to keep you on the GOP plantation. Better luck next time NPC#BIGNUM!

      Parent