Even though many states are on strict stay at home orders, supermarket’s are still open for business. Many supermarket’s have implemented rules, only allowing a certain amount of people to enter the store at one time — but those rules don’t necessarily protect you from the coronavirus.
Researchers in Finland have created a chilling video that models how coronavirus could spread from a single cough in a supermarket.
The video was uploaded to YouTube by scientists at Finland’s Aalto University. “In the 3D model, a person coughs in a corridor bounded by shelves under representative indoor ventilation airflow conditions,” the video explains. “As a result of coughing, an aerosol cloud travels in the air to the corridor. It takes up to several minutes for the cloud to spread and disperse.”
“Preliminary results indicate that aerosol particles carrying the virus can remain in the air longer than was originally thought, so it is important to avoid busy public indoor spaces,” the researchers explain in a statement. “This also reduces the risk of droplet infection, which remains the main path of transmission for coronavirus.”
Experts studied how small airborne aerosol particles are transported in the air when emitted from the respiratory tract when sneezing, coughing or even talking.
The results were rather shocking as seen in the video. The results also shed some serious light on just how easily the virus can be spread from person to person.
“Someone infected by the coronavirus, can cough and walk away, but then leave behind extremely small aerosol particles carrying the coronavirus,” explained Aalto University Assistant Professor Ville Vuorinen in the statement. “These particles could then end up in the respiratory tract of others in the vicinity.”