States and airlines are currently preparing for the resumption of traffic. However, many precautions must be taken, including wearing a mask for all. A recent simulation shows that, even during the flight, wearing a mask could be essential.
In March 2020, we mentioned the collapse of air traffic in France and around the world. As European countries gradually deconfine, there is talk of a slow recovery in air traffic . Lately, the countries of the European Union have discussed the establishment of tourist corridors to try to save the season. But this will be impossible without the adoption of strict measures intended to limit the spread of Covid-19.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently published recommendations on this resumption of air traffic against the backdrop of Covid-19. It is in particular a question of the permanent wearing of the protective mask, and this for the entire duration of the flight. To better understand the need to wear a mask on the plane, the digital simulation specialist Ansys has produced a very interesting video (see end of article).
Images compare the droplet projections of passes with and without a mask . The simulation also incorporates complex physical models of the airflows generated by the aircraft's ventilation system. The goal? Show how airborne particles propagate between passengers. And the video shows that wearing a mask can limit the projection of droplets. When a passenger coughs or sneezes, the mask also greatly limits the distance traveled by the projections . In other words, the risk of contamination is much lower than in the absence of a mask.
Ansys had already developed numerical simulations related to Covid-19. Recently, this company simulated the effectiveness of robotic disinfection by UV light. This technique, the giants Airbus and Boeing are seriously considering it in order to eradicate the Covid-19 from the cabin of their planes. These are ultraviolet C (UV-C), characterized by a short wavelength (280-100 nm). However, these UV-Cs were already mentioned in the United States a few weeks ago in the context of disinfection of public places.
Here is the video from Ansys about wearing a mask on the plane:
