To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the researchers wrote that indoor spaces should prevent overcrowding, open windows or doors, and ensure adequate air distribution.
The research team analyzed an outbreak that occurred in Guangzhou which was linked to three unrelated families. Local health officials learned that the families ate lunch at the same restaurant on Chinese New Year’s Eve on Jan. 24, 2020. The three families sat at adjacent tables in a crowded section of the restaurant, and a person at the middle table was considered the index COVID-19 case who began experiencing symptoms later that day.
The research team obtained a video recording and seating arrangement from the restaurant and looked at the restaurant’s air conditioning system across five zones of the establishment. Using the original table setup, they tested the dispersion of a warm tracer gas, which acts like exhaled virus droplets, to simulate the spread of droplets in the restaurant. They found that the measured ventilation rate was .9 L/s per person, which is lower than recommended standards.
Patrons had a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 if they were exposed to a higher concentration of droplets and had longer exposure, the researchers wrote. The three families shared the same space for 53-75 minutes. The restaurant workers had short exposure times in the recirculation zone while the infectious person was present, which could explain why none of them tested positive, the authors wrote.
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