Russia (bbabo.net), - A person is seriously at risk of becoming infected with the "omicron" strain of coronavirus through contact with infected people, even if they wear medical masks on their faces. The decisive factor here is the distance between the participants in the conversation. This conclusion was reached by experts from the Riken Research Institute in the Japanese city of Kobe, according to the NHK television and radio company.

To simulate situations during their work, scientists used a heavy-duty Fugaku computer. At the same time, they proceeded from the fact that "omicron" has one and a half times greater contagiousness compared to the "delta" strain.

As the results of the experiment showed, the probability of infection with the "omicron" strain is actually reduced to zero if he communicates indoors with an infected interlocutor at a distance of one meter for no more than fifteen minutes, and there is a hygienic mask on the infected person's face. In the case of reducing the distance between the participants in the conversation by half, the threat of infection increases to 14 percent.

Experts point out that the absence of a hygienic mask in a coronavirus patient dramatically increases the chances of his entourage to "catch" the infection. The risk of infection through contact with an infected person at a distance of one meter is about 60 percent. Reducing the indicated distance by half completely deprives anyone of the opportunity to leave such communication healthy.

Experts note that during a public event, about 40 percent of its participants who are next to an infected person in a mask will subsequently receive positive tests for COVID-19. The absence of protective material on the face of the infected will increase this figure to 50 percent.

Japanese doctors urge their compatriots to be careful about maintaining social distance when communicating with other people.

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