Nov. 2023, 3
A model developed by the University of Tsukuba that visualizes the risk of virus infection in a home immediately after returning home
A research group at the University of Tsukuba and Lion Corporation has investigated how pathogens attached to fingers and other objects are transferred to the fingers of other people. developed a base simulation model.
Until now, it is not sufficiently clear how pathogens spread from contaminated hands and objects to household goods, personal belongings, hands, and reach the mucous membranes of other people's mouths and noses, and the risks are unclear. was.
The research group used an agent-based simulation model that evaluates the overall impact of agents (individuals and groups) that move autonomously in virtual space, and investigated the indoor spread of the virus accompanying contact behavior in the home, We evaluated the effect of hygiene behaviors such as hand washing on the spread and re-contact of the virus.
As a result, assuming that a certain amount of the virus adhered to the hands before returning home, the virus on the hands and fingers adhered to various places in the room during many actions from immediately after returning home to washing hands, and this spread to the next person returning home. is found to diffuse into the room through secondary contact.The timing of hygiene actions immediately after returning home, such as hand disinfection and early hand washing at the entrance, is devised, and if there is an infected person living together, hand disinfection is performed when leaving the room where the infected person is recuperating. It was also found that this reduced the risk of secondary contact with the virus among other cohabitants.
If we know where the virus is attached and how it spreads in our daily lives, we will be able to take more effective infection prevention measures and reduce the burden of prevention.In the future, we will develop this simulation model, analyze the risk of contact with pathogens not only in the home but also in public settings, and aim to propose hygiene behaviors for preventing infection in society as a whole.
Paper information:[Frontiers in Physics] A tipping point of spreading viruses: Estimating the risk of household contact transmission of COVID-19
