Mutated strains of COVID-19 can spread very efficiently through the air. Because of this, they are considered more infectious than the “original” variant of the coronavirus discovered in 2019.
This main danger was described by American scientists in a scientific article published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases… According to experts, masks can only halve the amount of virus particles received in case of contact with a patient.
The researchers found that patients infected with the Alpha strain released 43 to 100 times more virus into the air than those infected with the original version of COVID-19.
It is noted that this was partly due to the fact that the first group had an increased amount of virus in nasal swabs and saliva. In addition, the number of exhaled particles of the virus was 18 times greater than could be explained by the higher viral load.
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Experts emphasized that the Delta strain will probably have even higher numbers regarding the circulation of viral particles. They focused on the Alpha variant because the study took place just at the time of its greatest prevalence.
“We know that the Delta variant currently in circulation is even more contagious than Alpha,” said co-author Don Milton of the School of Public Health. University of Maryland.
At the same time, scientists have found that loose protective face masks worn by patients with mild COVID-19 can reduce the number of viral particles in the air around by only about 50%.
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Milton added that their findings were nothing new. According to him, they only once again confirmed that mutated strains of coronavirus “improve their abilities” move through the air. Therefore, people must provide better indoor ventilation and wear tight-fitting masks in addition to vaccinations to help stop the spread of the virus.
As reported OBOZREVATEL, immunologist Boris Donskoy said that new strains of coronavirus may turn out to be “dead-end mutants”that do not pose any threat. In contrast, the Delta strain replaces previous variants of COVID-19.
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