Mumbai, November 18th : .Covid-19 is a virus that can be spread by inhalation of aerosols containing viruses.A study conducted at the Indian Institutes of Technology Bombay found that the bacteria could persist for 10 times longer in public restrooms than in other open areas.The Covid-19 virus is found in microscopic drops or aerosols that are ejected when our voices, shouts, coughs, and sneezes cause tiny droplets of microorganisms to travel inside.
The virus then travels through the atmosphere, and can be breathed in by other people.It can also be transmitted to others by lingering in damp areas like corners, furniture, and shared washrooms.
The team from IIT-Bombay examined how indoor airflow could reduce the transmission of Covid-19 by looking at airflow around engines and aircraft.
Researchers discovered that infection rates are much higher in dead zones.
Surprisingly they are often located near doors or windows, as well as right next to an air conditioner blowing in the cool air.These might seem like safe areas, but they’re not,” Krishnendu Sinha (Professor of Aerospace Engineering at IIT-Bombay) said in a statement.
The use of water in washrooms is common within public places such as offices, schools and airplanes.Computer simulations showed that aerosols from dead areas can persist up to 10 times longer than those found elsewhere.
Vivek Kumar (co-author) said, “Computer simulations demonstrate that air flows in circuitous paths, similar to a vortex.”
Air should always be removed from all rooms and replaced with fresh, clean air.He explained that it is difficult to remove air from a room if the air has become trapped.
Ventilation design today is often determined by air flow per hour.
Sinha stated that although these calculations assume fresh air is reaching every corner uniformly in a room, simulations on computers and tests inside a real bathroom show otherwise.
Air changes per hour are not equal for every part of a room.
Dead zones can see a 10x increase in air changes per hour.Ventilation systems that are more efficient against the virus can be designed using fans and ducts that take into account the amount of air movement in the space.
He suggested that blindly increasing airflow through existing ducts won’t solve the problem.
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