As we already knew, the droplets contained in the postlets and expelled by coughing or sneezing are the main vector of transmission of the coronavirus. A new scientific experiment, led by researchers from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and published in the journal Pnas, shows that the micro-droplets that are released when speaking can also transmit Covid-19.
1,000 airborne droplets for 8 minutes
For this experiment, the scientists placed a person in a closed box and made him speak to study the released droplets. Thanks to a laser, they were able to quantify the number of droplets expelled. This patient had to repeat with a loud voice “Stay healthy ” for 25 seconds. The researchers then observed that the droplets remained in the air for 12 minutes.
By adding the known concentration of Covid-19 in saliva, the researchers estimated that loud speech can generate the equivalent per minute of more than 1,000 contaminated droplets capable of being suspended in the air for 8 minutes or more. , in a closed space. “This direct visualization demonstrates that normal speech generates droplets in the air that can remain in suspension for tens of minutes or more, and are eminently capable of transmitting disease in a confined space ”, concludes the study.
The mask, the best protection
This study justifies the wearing of the mask. In addition to the postlets or droplets expelled during a sneeze and which are deposited on the various surfaces, speech is also a vector of transmission and only a mask can come to prevent micro-droplets from entering the air. In France, the mask is compulsory in public transport, at school and in certain shops.
<! –
Interested in this topic ? Come and discuss it on our forum!
–
–
–
->
–
