A new computer simulation shows the positive impact of masks and social distancing when a person with the Covid-19 virus sneezes.
As the UK prepares for another several weeks of lockdown and the possibility of long-term social distancing laws, a new simulation has shown just how important masks and distancing can be for preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The aerodynamic simulation was carried out by developer Irie Tomohiro of MSC Software and was published in a series of videos online.
The technology used to develop the simulation is usually used for testing aerodynamics in the automotive industry and has been used in the development of car racing video games, but Irie Tomohiro repurposed it to simulate a person sneezing near someone else from a distance of around two metres.
The simulation shows the difference in how droplets spread from the sneeze in three scenarios: An uncaught sneeze, a person sneezing into their elbow, and sneezing with a mask on. The common wisdom is that masks help prevent infected people from spreading the virus to others, and that sneezing into your elbow is the next best option if you haven't got a mask.
The results were striking, as the video below shows. The unprotected sneeze created a cloud that reached a person roughly two metres away, and the sneeze into an elbow reduced that to around a metre, but the mask was incredibly effective. The droplet spray extended mostly vertically upward and downward, protecting the other person.
Source: TechWorld
