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Fugaku Supercomputer Says Face Shields Ineffective at Trapping Aerosols


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waitress wearing face shield

Credit: Getty Images

A simulation by Fugaku, the world's fastest supercomputer, found that almost 100% of airborne droplets of less than 5 micrometers in size escaped through plastic visors like those worn by workers as protection against the coronavirus.

Face shields are becoming a common sight in sectors involving contact with the public, such as shops and beauty salons.

Makoto Tsubokura, team leader at Riken's center for computational science, cautioned against wearing face visors as an alternative to masks. "Judging from the results of the simulation, unfortunately the effectiveness of face guards in preventing droplets from spreading from an infected person's mouth is limited compared with masks," Tsubokura said.

From The Guardian
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