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IMAGE: Illustration shows the reach of breath without a mask and during various mask and face shield evaluations. view more
Credit: Venugopal Arumuru/Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar
WASHINGTON, April 6, 2021 With research increasingly showing the COVID-19 virus is transmissible via smaller droplets suspended in air, there is a growing concern current public health guidelines of mask wearing and social distancing are insufficient in combating its spread in indoor environments, like prisons, hospitals, and meatpacking plants, where people tend to be in close quarters.
Most research has focused on coughing and sneezing. But studies on how simply breathing might contribute to airborne spread of the virus are rare.