There are various types of masks, some of which differ greatly in their effectiveness. While cheaper models offer hardly any protection against the viruses of others, or at least prevent you from becoming an uncontrolled virus thrower yourself, professional respirators meet medical quality specifications and are usually only used there - in hospitals and care facilities:
The way Sars-CoV-2 is spread also plays an important role: the virus is mainly transmitted by droplet infection. Researchers at the University of Minnesota succeeded in creating a 3-D model of the novel pathogen. They analyzed the proteins with which the virus docks to human cells and came to the conclusion that the pathogen fulfills its task far more efficiently than its 2002 relative, Sars-CoV-1. For this reason, the new type of coronavirus can implant itself in the mouth and throat area without major problems, multiply there and quickly return to the outside world through breathing, sneezing or coughing:
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