原创 Howfarcanasneezingdroptravel?
2020年04月23日 【健康号】 WeDoctor     阅读 9568

I put on a mask after reading this article!

With the development of this epidemic, masks have become one of the most shortage supplies. Everyone knows that the virus can spread through droplets. However, do you know how far a sneezing droplet can fly? Should I need not to worry when I stand 5 meters away? Today we will talk about the droplets and masks.


What is the lethality of a sneeze and cough?

When we breathe, talk, cough, sneeze and even sing, we produce respiratory aerosols (droplets in popular terms). These droplets are small in diameter, about 100 microns or less, which is equivalent to the width of human hair, but they contain human cells such as epithelial cells, physiological electrolytes and various potential infectious agents such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

And sneezing, coughing, talking and etc. are like launchers of viruses. A simple action will make the virus or bacteria spread continuously. Studies have shown that every sneeze can generate a huge propulsive power. It can discharge up to 40,000 small droplets with a diameter of 0.5-12 microns. It can be discharged at a speed of up to 100 meters per second. It can spray as far as A few meters!

Larger droplets are not affected by gas-phase flow. they fall faster and the distance relatively close within 1 meter; while smaller droplets are suspended in turbulent gas clouds with different degrees, and the range is farther.

Some smaller droplets (below 5 microns) will fly far, and may even float in the air. It is difficult to say how long they float in the air. So indoor ventilation is important except for masks.

At the same time, wearing a mask is not only responsible for our own health but also for that of others.


What should be the correct way to sneeze and cough?

Since the lethality of sneeze and cough is so great, can you block it with the hand? If we block it directly with our hands, it will pollute our hands. We may pass the virus to the next person if we touch other objects with the polluted hands.

If you cover it with your elbow or mask, you will reduce the risk of such transmission. Some people may use paper towels to cover them. In this case, throw the paper towels into the trash can in time, and then wash your hands carefully with running water and soap / hand sanitizer to avoid spreading again.


5 things you should know about wearing a mask

We have unified a few issues that everyone is most concerned about regarding the masks

1. Can masks with breathing valves be anti-virus?

The role of the breathing valve is to reduce the breathing resistance of the mask. With or without a breathing valve does not affect the protection of the wearer of the mask, but the opened breathing valve may discharge the wearer's droplets or bacteria out of the cover, so if you are a virus carrier, use a mask without a breathing valve.

2. Which type of mask should we choose?

At present, there are many types of masks on the market with different names which is hard for many people to differentiate. In fact, we can judge based on the name of the mask and the standard number on the packaging.

In this outbreak, medical protective masks (GB19083-2010) and medical surgical masks (YY 0469-2011) are preferred. The above two types of masks are mainly for medical personnel and are currently in short supply. We can also choose industrial particulate protective masks (GB2626-2006) or medical care masks.

As for other types of cotton masks, sponge masks, activated carbon masks, etc., it is not recommended.

It should also be noted that the thicker the mask is, the better. Although cotton masks look thick, they have no effect on protecting against viruses. Medical surgical masks look thin but have good filtering effects.

3. How long can the mask be used?

Many people are entangled by the duration of mask use. On the one hand, masks are currently in short supply, and on the other hand, they are concerned about its defensive effect after long time use. At this point, the deputy director of the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that ordinary people do not need to change their masks one at a time.

However, if the following problems occur with the mask , it is still recommended to replace:

● Nose clip are damaged

● The headband becomes loose

● Mask deformation

● The mask becomes odorous or dirty

● Breathing resistance increases

● Close contact with infected cases

● Contaminated (such as blood stains)

If you want to reuse the mask, store it in a clean, dry place away from any possible contamination.

4. Do I need to wear a mask at home?

Ordinary person does not need to wear a mask at home. But if someone in this family has fever, sneezing, runny nose and other symptoms, every family member is recommended to wear a mask. 

5. What should I do after using the mask?

The following methods are not recommended regarding disposal of the used masks  .

Boiled water: On the one hand, it will contaminate the utensils used to burn the mask, on the other hand, it will not kill all the virus bacteria with the heat for a short time,

Incineration: it will pollute the environment and produce potential safety hazards.

Throw away after shredding: Many people have previously proposed this method on the Internet in order to prevent illegal recycling and secondary sales. It is not recommended even with good starting point, because there is great risk of infection during the shredding process. 

What should we do?

In a medical institution

Discard the mask in the medical waste garbage bag, and it will be disposed of by a professional disposal agency.

Ordinary time

For ordinary people, throw the mask directly into the trash can.

For people suspected of having infectious diseases, they can be treated as medical waste by the corresponding staff when receiving medical care or investigation.

For people who have symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum, sneezing, or those who have contacted such people, it is recommended to throw the masks in the trash can, then spray 5% 84 disinfectant solution in a 1:99 ratio. If there is no disinfectant, put them in a sealed bag and throw it away.

After handling the mask, be sure to wash your hands carefully!

In addition, we need to remind everyone that masks are in short supply at present, and some people pay high prices for fake masks. Everyone must keep their eyes open when purchasing masks.

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