| SPECIAL SECTION: COVID-１９ |
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Transmission of COVID-19 viral particles and the risk of infection among passengers in air-conditioned buses |
| WU Jialin1,2, WENG Wenguo1,2 |
1. Institute of Public Safety Research, Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;
2. Beijing Key Laboratory of City Integrated Emergency Response Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China |
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Abstract Aerosol transmission of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is possible. This study analyzed COVID-19 transmission in an air-conditioned bus in Hunan Province, China. A numerical model was used to predict the transport of droplets and aerosols containing the COVID-19 virus for various air conditioning modes, particle sizes, and source locations. The results were used for quantitative evaluations of the infection risks for all passengers with comparisons to the actual transmission rate. A high proportion of exhaled viral particles from COVID-19 infected people were deposited on the inner wall of the bus and the seat surface. Changing the particle sizes and the outlet locations leads to different aerosol diffusion paths. Small aerosols containing the virus can remain suspended in the air for prolonged periods of time and become widely spread, so these pose a higher risk to passengers seated far from the source. The results are used to develop suggestions for reducing the COVID-19 infection risk in air-conditioned buses.
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corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
air-conditioned buses
viral particles
aerosol
risk analysis
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Issue Date: 29 December 2020
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2021,
Vol. 61
