SARS-CoV-2 can be spread by plant pollen

The authors created a computer model of pollen distribution: a willow was taken as a sample.

They've made a complete

A 3D model of a tree that emits 10,000 pollen particles in light winds (about 4 km/h), and also studied how the airflow interactswith a small crowd of 11 people and a relatively large crowd of up to 100 people.

As a result, it turned out that pollen significantly accelerated the spread of coronavirus, even if the wind speed outside was minimal.

Pollen grains carry SARS-CoV-2 particles six meters or more. Under normal conditions, they fly no more than two meters.

In the case of a high concentration of pollen grains inoutdoors or during flowering in spring, a social distance of 2 m is not a safety measure for people outdoors. Thus, public authorities must rethink the principles of social distancing.

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Scientists have concluded that the tandem of pollen and the virus caused last year's summer surges in the spread of COVID-19 in parts of the United States and Europe.

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