The omicron variant has a 60% chance of infecting a person one meter away, according to a recent epidemiological investigation by Japanese scientists carried out through simulations on a supercomputer.
As data prior to the investigation, the team from the Riken research institute estimated that the omicron variant was 1.5 times more contagious than Delta, according to The Asahí Shimbun.
The first conclusion reached by the researchers was that, for a person without a mask, the probability of being infected by omicron after a 15-minute conversation at a distance of one meter was around 60%, although it could exceed 90%. in the worst case.
To make a comparison, the team conducted the same study with a person without face mask carrier of the delta variant virus. The result showed a probability of contagion of 80%.
On the other hand, if a person infected with omicron holds a conversation without a mask at a distance of two meters, the probability of contagion is 60%, while the average probability of infection was just over 20%, the study assures.
On the contrary, if any carrier of this contagious variant used face maskthe probability of infection reached 10%, being close to another person by only 50 centimeters away.
The researchers from Riken conducted a simulation with 16 people in a restaurant. That team was split between clients and staff.
If one of the 16 people was infected with the variant omicronanother would become infected after an hour if the restaurant only used its original mechanical ventilation system.
The risk of infection would be cut in half only if the establishment uses a kitchen duct system and an air conditioner for ventilation.
“It’s important to go back to basics and make sure people take steps against infection, like keeping their distance from people,” he pointed Makoto Tsubokurateam leader and professor at Kobe University.
“In addition, to reduce the risk of infection to the level of the original new coronavirus, we need more measures,” pointed out.
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Source: Gestion
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