TRUE SPREAD
Terrifying video shows spread of coronavirus droplets from infected person on Tube
NEW simulations have shown the terrifying reality of how an infected person spreads coronavirus in public just as the UK prepares to return to work.
The model shows how an infected person talking to someone in a closed environment will literally coat them in coronavirus if they do not wear a mask or keep their distance.
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The simulations have been published by as part of a study by the University of Oregon as Brits prepare to send kids back to school in early June and try to return to office spaces.
The simulation shows that while talking at short range is not as problematic as a sneeze or a cough, which can travel up to seven metres, the droplets can travel further than you think just from talking or breathing.
Respiratory scientist, University of Leicester, Dr Julian Tang said: "If you are breathing and talking obviously droplets don't travel as far, but they can travel far enough to affect your friend sitting opposite you, or someone who's chatting to you.
"That's the key distance. How far do [infected droplets] have to travel to infect someone else?"
The infected droplets can then be carried further as they are passed on through surface to surface transmission.
Another model published by OU also show how the virus can spread from surfaces if you are infected and doing something as simple as the washing up in an office kitchen.
This is the reason that it is still vitally important to wash your hands regularly and to try not to touch your face.
However just as frightening is the third model in which researchers showed how easily the virus can then spread through an office space or classroom.
Alarming model shows how far a single cough can spread in a supermarket and linger coronavirus across aisles
In the simulation of someone coughing in a classroom or canteen, they immediately infect the person sat opposite them.
The virus then gets caught up in the air conditioning unit, which goes on to spray the virus around the whole room in a less concentrated way, putting everyone in there at risk.
It is a stark warning to employers and managers about the dangers of poor ventilation and how a single cough in a poorly ventilated meeting room, or one with a circular airflow like air conditioning, can infect everyone in there.
It also highlights the importance of anti-virus safety measures that need to be taken if businesses want to keep their workforce healthy.
The lead scientist behind the models, Dr Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, said that there are several simple measures that building managers can take to reduce the risk of infections spreading.
He recommends that simply opening windows will reduce the spread. Employers can also increase filtration in their airflow systems and add humidification.
"Adding humidification helps to get the particles to drop out of the air more quickly so they are less likely to swirl around and cause other infections." He said.
There are also other simple measures that we can take to reduce the chances of infecting others and becoming infected ourselves, such as wearing face coverings and washing our hands regularly.
Research by the University of Edinburgh has shown that when we wear a mask the breaths we take don't get so far and are retained within a few inches of the wearers face, catching most of the droplets.
When wearing a mask it is therefore important to wash your face afterwards, particularly if you believe you may be infected or could have come into contact with anyone else.
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Facemasks can be cleaned and recycled in the wash too, provided you wash them at over 65 degrees, which will kill off any coronavirus on the mask.
This is also why we should not be wearing high-grade masks, as they tend to be single-use and can actually be more dangerous if worn improperly.
It is also hayfever season, so it is more important than ever to be conscious of sneezing into our elbows and not our hands.
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