New year, same rules: The science behind masks, ventilation and keeping a distance

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New year, same rules: The science behind masks, ventilation and keeping a distance - Wearing a mask, washing your hands, good ventilation and keeping your distance all help to lower your chances of getting infected by the virus that causes Covid-19

– is likely here to stay. So how are we going to live with it? Because let’s face it, we’re kind of over lockdowns, travel bans, not seeing our friends and not going into the office or school

Non-pharmaceutical measures boost your protection because they reduce the amount of virus you come into contact with. And the less virus going around, the lower the chance of getting infected and becoming sick.Can I relax once I’ve had my vax? Although the Omicron variant seems to be much more transmissible than any other so far and there are larger proportions of breakthrough infections – mostly because of Omicron’s ability to circumvent our antibodies – it doesn’t look as if the variant is able to get around our T-cells as easily.

How well your mask fits, so how tightly it fits on your face, also plays a role in how effective it is. Your mask should cover your nose and mouth, so that there’s an effective seal to keep viral particles from escaping. The easiest way to know if your cloth mask has three layers is to check with the manufacturer. The US government’s Centers for Disease Control also recommends checking whether your mask is able to block out light when you hold it close to a light source, to get a rough idea of how good your mask is at filtration.Because it’s all about the dose.

A 2020 study of air samples taken around Covid-19 patients confirms that a higher dose of virus exists in the air close to an infected person. Researchers found that the air near patients’ noses contained up to 48 copies of the virus per litre of air, whereas the concentration dropped about 10 times in samples taken some distance away from the hospital bed. Samples taken at the door to the room showed just over two copies of virus per litre of air.

McCarthy suggests having a number of empty seats between people or even leaving adjacent rows empty as a countermeasure at outdoor events. Simply put, “stadiums shouldn’t be full,” she warns.

 

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Masks do not work, but if you want to wear one OK, right to choose

Better to pay the price of discipline than to pay the price of regret tomorrow and make the right decision to join the winning team today Robert_BAR1

New year. Same propaganda.

Lies

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