A research team from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has used so-called Schlieren mirrors to show in a video how coughed-up air spreads in the room. They examined various protection options.
Table of Contents
This is how coughed up air spreads in the room
Droplets and aerosols – what’s the difference?
Droplets are more than five micrometers in diameter and, due to their weight, quickly sink to the ground after being exhaled. They are also only transmitted up to a distance of around one and a half to two meters.
Aerosols , on the other hand, are smaller than droplets. Their diameter is less than five micrometers. As their water envelope evaporates, the droplets become lighter, allowing them to stay in the air longer. Droplet nuclei remain, which can be inhaled by other people in the area or absorbed through the mucous membranes of the eyes. Because of their small size, they get into the lower airways. Helpful against aerosols is z. B. the regular ventilation of closed rooms so that air exchange takes place and the number of aerosols is reduced.
Also interesting: Researchers show which air filters can reduce aerosols in rooms >>
Protection against infection – these measures apply
- keep a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from other people
- wash and disinfect hands regularly
- wear a face mask in public, e.g. B. this one
- Cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm
- avoid shaking hands and hugs
- stay home if you feel sick
- if you suspect corona, first call your family doctor before you go public or to the practice
