If someone is infected with the corona virus, then they probably have not adhered to the corona rules, right? That does not always have to be the case, says a spokesperson for the National Institute for Public Health in the Environment (RIVM) in conversation with NU.nl.
If someone is infected with the corona virus, then they probably have not adhered to the corona rules, right? That does not always have to be the case, says a spokesperson for the National Institute for Public Health in the Environment (RIVM) in conversation with NU.nl.
Wash your hands, keep a distance of 1.5 meters, wear a mouth mask, limit your travel movements and stay at home if you have symptoms. With those guidelines from the government, the spread of the corona virus must be stopped.
When a famous person tests positive, such as D66 leader Rob Jetten last Tuesday, several NU.nl readers react that they probably did not comply with the rules. Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb said about his own infection earlier this month that he must have had “a moment of carelessness”.
But even if you stick to the rules, the chance of getting infected is “never zero”, says RIVM spokesman Harald Wychel. “By adhering to all measures, you help prevent the spread in its entirety, but of course you can never rule out becoming infected unless you stay inside and never see anyone again.”
For example, it is good to imagine that a partner or housemate becomes infected and takes the virus home. The vast majority of infections (about 60 percent) take place in the home, according to the source and contact research.
Still, you can reduce the risk by sticking to the measures, says Wychel. “You could see that in the spring, when we followed the rules en masse. You saw the reproduction rate drop, as did the number of people who were contagious and the infections themselves.”
Floating drops go further than 1.5 meters
However, the 1.5 meter distance is not waterproof. It is now known that the corona virus can also spread via aerosols, small droplets that float in the air. These can be released when singing, talking or breathing and go further than 1.5 meters.
The chance that you will become infected via aerosols appears to be small, according to research by Canadian scientists and virologist Marion Koopmans of Erasmus MC. In contrast, a cough or sneeze sometimes emits as many virus particles as singing for a week, the same study showed, which has yet to be checked by fellow scientists.
Mouth mask may be effective against aerosols
Also a mouth mask does not offer 100 percent protection. Various studies indicate that non-medical face masks may make you less likely to infect another person. But there is no conclusive evidence: there has not yet been time to establish this with certainty with large clinical studies. The RIVM therefore maintains the position that wearing non-medical face masks is of little use if people keep their distance from each other.
This is different with medical masks, such as approved surgical masks. A study published in Nature shows that both medical masks with filters and masks without filters can reduce the spread of aerosols by up to 90 percent.
There also seems to be growing evidence that wearing a face mask is not only an act of solidarity, but also protects the wearer themselves, according to researchers at the University of California. They believe that non-medical face masks stop some of the virus particles. This can prevent contamination or ensure that the course of the disease is less severe.
Yet it is possible that in places where you can keep less distance, such as supermarkets and public transport, you will still be infected – although the chance is much smaller with a mouth mask and well-washed hands.
Get infected through a shopping cart
Finally, getting infected via a door handle or shopping cart with the virus on from a previous user seems unlikely. According to the RIVM, the chance that the virus will spread via surfaces is small.
It has been shown in a laboratory that it is possible. Japanese researchers recently showed that the virus can be kept alive on human skin for nine hours. But these ideal circumstances rarely occur in the outside world, according to the RIVM on the website.
Nevertheless, it is important to minimize the chance and to wash your hands regularly and to touch your face as little as possible. “Every little bit helps,” said Wychel.
Follow the latest developments regarding the corona virus in our live blog.
Rectification: In this article it has now been nuanced that the effect of non-medical mouth masks has not yet been definitively proven.
