Blog
Nano-safety research lessons for dealing with aerosol transmissions of COVID-19
Viruses have many properties that are well known to nanomaterial researchers because once released from a host cell, they correspond to a large part to nanovesicles dispersed in an aqueous salt and protein solution. Many of the strategies developed for safe work with high-activity nanomaterials can be expected to work also for the virus…
Low exhaled breath droplet formation may explain why children are poor SARS-CoV-2 transmitters
A characteristic of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the few cases of severely affected children. They not only rarely get symptoms but also seem to be poor transmitters. We propose that this may be explained by …
Some of the virus can become airborne. Do I have to worry?
When people breathe, speak or sing, they always emit small quantities of tiny lung lining fluid droplets, small enough to stay airborne for many hours. Should I worry about these aerosols? Not much if you cross others briefly on the street. Yes, if you spend a long...
How to contain COVID-19 when restarting school
Worldwide, countries closed their schools because of COVID-19. But in Switzerland, in three weeks from now, schools are supposed to reopen. Can this be done safely? Probably yes, but only with great prudence! It is not enough to hope that the kids will be fine....
Why location data is important – and how this could be done without invading privacy
Imagine you are driving and hear on the radio: „Attention, in Canton Zurich, there is a wrong-way driver on the highway - to respect the driver’s privacy, we cannot disclose the location“. This would be crazy, right? In public health, location data can be extremely...
Also your cat and dog should go in social isolation
Today, many news outlets reported that one of the Bronx zoo tigers was tested positive for COVID-19. The tigress Nadia developed a severe dry cough, reason why she got tested. It turned out that also the other three tigers along with three lions developed the same...
Shall masks be worn? Yes, but it depends!
True or false? „Washing hands is useless because people don’t do it right and because they touch their face too often!“ FALSE! But why do we hear the same arguments about wearing hygiene mask (surgical masks) to prevent the spread of the respiratory disease COVID-19?...
Crisis management thinks ahead. It is time to develop scenarios for the steps to come!
Imagine you are a pilot. Suddenly a flock of geese hits your flaps, your engine turns off and your plane goes into a steep dive. Will you just try to flatten the curve? No. You must simultaneously regain control over your trajectory, assess what systems still work,...
How simple masks can protect and why it works only if all participate
Have I lost my mind when I say that mandating everybody to wear hygiene masks could help reduce the spread of COVID-19? No. What I propose is to use hygiene masks as an emission control device. Let me explain the concept for adressing COVID-19 with a simple model.
At risk people should stay at home – let them do this as closed social groups!
Those at biggest risk of getting seriously ill from the Corona-virus are asked to stay at home and to go into total social isolation. However, being isolated and alone is a serious burden for their psychological and social well being. We have to find ways to overcome...
Masks are key to resume a mostly normal life
COVID-19 is a very dangerous disease. Can we lock up everybody to prevent the spread? Yes, we can – or almost. An effective strategy that allows most of us to return to a mostly normal life should include wearing masks, washing hands and keeping them clean, and an active programme to produce safety materials.
Washing your hands is not enough, you also need to keep them clean
A couple weeks ago, I was at a public toilet with my two young kids. While we were carefully washing our hands, we saw a strange looking guy heading from his toilet cubicle straight to the door as if he was allergic to water and soap. My kids were shocked and...
What can be done if there are not enough testing kits? Use a smart testing strategy!
In Switzerland, authorities say they test only clear cases because they are afraid to run out of testing kits. But is this the best sampling strategy? Shouldn’t we define a strategy that maximises the information we get from the available tests? In epidemiological...
How do you share the workload and how do you get the message to the people?
In my last article I highlighted that we need the participation of the population to effectively battle against COVID-19. Information is central to achieve optimal participation, and I am not talking about information how to wash hands. I am an occupational hygienist....
COVID-19: It’s too early for fatalism – but swift and decisive actions are needed including the participation of everybody
In the past couple days I got asked by many of my contacts, friends and relatives what I think of the Corona-situation. In my view, the battle is not lost but swift and decisive actions are needed that require not only actions from the authorities but also the...
