How to protect oneself from Flu
In the winter, the flu often rages. How to prevent flu
scientifically? Can anti-fog masks protect against the flu virus? Influenza is
generally caused by a virus. Let's take a look at what a virus is. Can wearing
a mask filter out the flu virus? In addition, moderate humidity air can help to
resist the spread of influenza. One is to help the virus to settle, and the
other is to enhance the activity of respiratory mucosal secretions.
In the winter, the flu often rages. How to prevent flu
scientifically? Can anti-fog masks protect against the flu virus? What measures
can help us prevent influenza This article will take you to reveal these
issues.
What is a virus? Can it be filtered out by anti-fog masks?
Influenza is generally caused by a virus. Let's take a look
at what a virus is.
A virus is a non-cellular form composed of a nucleic acid
molecule (DNA or RNA) and a protein. It is an organic species that lives
between parasitic organisms and lives between parasites.
It is neither biological nor abiotic, and it is not currently
classified in the Five Realms (prokaryotes, protozoa, fungi, plants, and
animals).
When it comes to preventing colds, the first thing everyone
thinks about is wearing a mask. Can wearing a mask filter out the flu virus? We
are going to look at the size of the flu virus.
Viruses vary in shape and size (collectively referred to as
morphology), and most viruses are 10-300 nanometers (nm) in diameter.
Some filamentous viruses can reach a length of 1400 nm, but
their width is only about 80 nm.
Most viruses cannot be observed under a light microscope, and
scanning or transmission electron microscopy is the main tool for observing the
morphology of virus particles.
A concept is mentioned here called nm (nanometer). So how
long are nanometers? 1 nanometer = 10 ^ -9 meters, which is one billionth of a
meter.
How thick is a hair? Ordinary hair is between 60 microns and
90 microns. How long is a micron? 1 micron = 10 ^ -6 meters, which is one
millionth of a meter.
In other words, ordinary hair is as thick as 60,000 to 90,000 nanometers. So what is the size of PM2.5 we often say?
It is 2.5 microns. Even if we choose the larger 300 nanometer
(0.3 micron) size of the virus, it is an order of magnitude larger than the
size of particles that can be filtered out by a mask.
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| Types of Flu or Fever Viruses |
So aren't smog masks able to help us fight the flu virus?
This is not the case. Here we have to mention a physical
concept called aerosol.
What is aerosol? It is a dispersion system in which solids or
liquids are suspended in air. The volume of particulate matter is generally
between 0.01 micrometers and 10 micrometers.
The experiment of the Tyndall effect that everyone has done
in middle school is the scattering of light through aerosols.
When you walk on the forest path, you think the air you
breathe is good, but it may not be. Because you exhale a lot of suspended
particles or droplets in the aerosol.
In fact, there are devices in our house that generate
aerosols, which are traditionally humidifiers that work by ultrasonic
vibration.
The humidifier shakes the water into small droplets to increase the
surface area of the water, which makes the air more humid.
So what does the spread of influenza virus have to do with
aerosols? The influenza virus is too small. Due to the intermolecular forces,
the influenza virus attaches to the particulate matter of the aerosol in the
air.
In this way, the problem of filtering viruses has become a
problem of filtering aerosol particles. For anti-haze masks, most aerosol
particles can be filtered out, so anti-haze masks can help prevent flu.
Wearing a mask all the time is uncomfortable, is there any other way to prevent the flu?
In fact, we can observe that if there is no precipitation for
a long time in the winter in the north, the transmission of influenza will be
more serious. There are two reasons for this.
First, in humid air, virus molecules are more likely to bind
to larger particles or droplets, which is not conducive to the spread of the
virus.
Second, in a humid environment, the secretions on the human
respiratory tract mucosa are more active and can better kill and resist virus
invasion.
Some people have done experiments like this, mixing influenza
viruses with droplets that mimic respiratory secretions and putting them in
different humidity environments.
In a dry environment, respiratory droplets evaporate quickly
and the virus survives intact.
In a medium-humidity environment, the droplets partially
evaporate, and the virus's ability to infect normal cells in droplets with a
higher concentration is significantly reduced.
Therefore, air humidity can affect the body fluid components
in the respiratory tract, that is, the concentration of salt and protein,
thereby affecting the survival rate of cold viruses.
In summary, wearing anti-haze masks can protect against some
influenza viruses, because most influenza viruses attach to aerosol particles
that are larger than themselves.
In addition, moderate humidity air can help to resist the
spread of influenza. One is to help the virus to settle, and the other is to
enhance the activity of respiratory mucosal secretions.
Author's Bio
 |
| Dr. Shawna Reason |
Education: MBBS, MD
Occupation: Medical Doctor / Virologist
Specialization: Medical Science, Micro Biology / Virology, Natural Treatment
Experience: 15 Years as a Medical Practitioner
About Me | Linkedin | Quora Profile | Medium Profile | Twitter
Tip: The most reliable way to prevent influenza is to go to
the hospital to get the flu vaccine.
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