Yasmina Kattou 07:32, March 21, 2023

In France, researchers are working on tools to better cope with future epidemics. The last example is a mathematical model to identify the places most at risk of contamination in airports or train stations. Contrary to what one might think, it is not necessarily in the most densely frequented spaces that we are most contaminated.

What if we could identify the areas where virus infections were most numerous? Using a mathematical model, Inserm researchers have succeeded in identifying the places most at risk of contamination, and thus limit the transmission of infectious diseases in airports and train stations.

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More likely to be infected in a restaurant than in the queue

At the airport, it is by having a coffee while waiting for your flight that you are more likely to be contaminated with Covid-19 or flu than in the queue to board. "These spaces are restaurants, bars, shops where individuals spend a lot of time in contact with each other and in particular, they spend much more time with airport workers," explains Dr. Mattia Mazzoli, a researcher at INSERM.

For example, airport officials can transmit the virus to subsequent travellers. Mattia Mazzoli therefore recommends targeting these areas at high risk of transmission with air filtration systems or virucidal UV lamps.

Generally, airport duty-free and cafeterias represent only 2% of the total area. An inexpensive investment that would halve flu contamination. This could also work for other viruses. The researcher hopes that the model will one day be adopted by health authorities.