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Have you wondered what is the “fire power” of a cough? Researchers at Florida Atlantic University set out to measure how far cough droplets could go.
A simple experiment showed that the droplets of secretion, which may contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus, even reach a distance of approx. 3 m.
For the test, scientists used a dummy that coughed up with a water-glycerin solution thanks to a pump. Experts used laser light to observe the “flight” of the droplets. The video below shows how the experiment worked:
As it turned out? Immediately after the liquid was released from the dummy’s mouth, the drops traveled a distance of almost 1 m. After five seconds they were at a distance of 1,8 m from the manikin, and after 10 seconds – 2,7 m.
– At 2,7 meters, the droplets can last from two to three minutes, provided that the air is stationary, but their concentration is less than at a distance of 1,8 meters – said one of the authors of the study, Prof. Manhar Dhanak
Interestingly, the “cough cloud” was moving forward, and after another 40 seconds it was even a meter away.
A simple test showed that keeping a 2-meter distance between people may not be enough to prevent coronavirus infections. Cough droplets can travel further and, in addition, remain in the air for some time, which means that they can be infected even without being in the immediate vicinity of the sick person.
This is not the first experiment to show that the power of coughing is greater than we think. Researcher Lydia Bourouiba published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which shows that the distance between people should be … 7-8 m!
The expert studies the dynamics of coughing and sneezing and her observations show that saliva particles can be thrown up to a distance of 8 m.
We wrote more about this study HERE: Should social distance be greater?
This may interest you:
- What cough is a symptom of the coronavirus? Pay attention to these details
- After 30 minutes, the coronavirus was everywhere. This movie gives food for thought
- How to sneeze and cough? The “vampire” method is the best
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