Aalto University in Finland has released this animation depicting the transport and spread of the coronavirus through the air. These are preliminary results, that is, they have not been published in any specialized journal, but what they indicate is that the aerosol particles that carry the virus can remain in the air for quite a long time, so, in any case, it is It is necessary to follow sanitary recommendations and avoid indoor public spaces. In this way, the risk of infection by drops, which is the main route of transmission of the coronavirus, is also reduced.
Four Finnish institutions participated in the research and carried out, separately, the modeling of a scenario with the same starting condition: the cough of a person who is in an aisle between shelves, such as those found in supermarkets, and with the same space ventilation measures.
All the researchers came to the same preliminary result: the aerosol cloud spreads and dissolves in a process that can take several minutes. “A person infected with the coronavirus can cough and walk away, but it will leave a trail of very small aerosol particles that carry the virus,” explains Ville Vuorinen, professor at Aalto University. ” These particles could end up in the respiratory tract of other people who are nearby .”
Model conditions
The simulation was performed to model the movement in air of aerosol particles smaller than twenty microns. In the case of a dry cough, which is a typical symptom of the current coronavirus, the particle size is usually less than fifteen micrometers. These tiny particles do not go to the ground when you cough, but instead float or move through air currents.
The simulation of air transport and the preservation of the droplets leaving the respiratory tract was carried out with a supercomputer, and in a second step a 3D representation of the results was made. This type of simulation, as we have seen in the video, is very visual and allows us to get a less abstract idea of the movement of these particles invisible to the human eye.
Should the sanitary recommendations change?
As we have already commented, these are preliminary results, and the research teams involved will continue working to perfect the model and contrast it with the data that experts in infectious diseases and virology are obtaining on the new coronavirus.
In any case, the scientists emphasize that following the basic safety instructions should be enough: coughing into your sleeve or a tissue prevents the dispersion of the particles in the air, and of course maintaining good hand hygiene is essential. .
In addition, experts recall that the main route of transmission of the coronavirus is through drops , and that to avoid critical transmission of the disease, the most effective thing is what is already being done: avoid crowds and reduce mobility as much as possible in places where many people gather, such as shops, restaurants, and public transportation.
