Coronavirus : Latest study reveals shocking information about N95 masks

For those who do not readily agree to the use of face masks to fight novel coronavirus, it is a hard task to get them to use something, anything to cover their nose and mouth from this airborne virus. Well, in such cases, the logic is that any mask is better than no mask at preventing COVID-19.

But if you are already converted to the idea and sensibility in using masks to protect yourself and others, here is a key finding by Indian scientists that my enthuse you.

Padmanabha Prasanna Simha, from ISRO, and Prasanna Simha Mohan Rao, from the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research in Karnataka, first created various common mouth covering scenarios. Then, under those conditions, they experimentally visualised the flow fields of coughs.

Simha and Rao say that they found that N95 masks may be the most effective tool in our effort to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

It is an established fact that airborne transmission by respiratory aerosol droplets produced during coughing and sneezing is the dominant mode of spreading for infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

ISRO scientist and Medical expert in a joint study:

Their study, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, found N95 masks to be the most effective at reducing the horizontal spread of a cough.

The N95 masks reduced a cough’s initial velocity by up to a factor of 10, and limit its spread to between 0.1 and 0.25 meters, the researchers told PTI.

But picture that without a mask or any cover on the face. An uncovered cough, in contrast, can travel up to three metres. And when one wears even a simple disposable mask, it can bring this all the way down to 0.5 metres.

“If a person can reduce the extent of how much they contaminate the environment by mitigating the spread, it’s a far better situation for other healthy individuals who may enter places that have such contaminated areas,” Simha said.

Rao and Simha noted that as it leaves a person’s lungs, coughs emerge and tend to be warmer than their surrounding area. That may also likely help it spread faster through dissipation.