This flu season has been particularly difficult. The world is dominated by the immune-resistant subclade K of the A (H3N2) virus. All the important are the results of the first study of its kind, which provides clues on how to protect yourself from infection.

Students sick with influenza were gathered in the same hotel room with healthy middle-aged volunteers. The result is unexpected:no one got infected.

“At this time of year, it seems like everyone gets the flu. Yet our study found no transmissions – what does this tell us about how the virus spreads and how to prevent outbreaks?” – says Professor Donald Milton from Schools of Public Health University of Maryland, which was one of the first to determine how to stop the spread of COVID-19.

In a series of controlled experiments, airborne transmission of the virus was measured between five people with confirmed influenza symptoms and a group of 11 healthy volunteers. In the latest study, participants lived on an isolated floor of a Balti -area hotel for two weeks and completed daily tasks that simulated different ways of communicating and interacting, from conversational dating games to physical activities like yoga, stretching or dancing. Infected people picked up objects such as a pen, tablet or microphone and then passed them around.

Throughout the experiment, the researchers recorded a wide range of parameters: monitoring symptoms, taking daily nasal swabs and saliva samples, as well as blood for antibody testing. The viral load was measured in the breathing zone of volunteers and in the air of the activity room. The exhaled air of the participants was analyzed daily using a special device.

The first experiment – and a negative result

The study becamethe first clinical trial in a controlled environmentwho studied exactly how influenza is transmitted through the air between naturally infected people (and not specifically infected in a laboratory) and healthy people. His results were published in the journal PLOS Pathogensand the fact that they turned out to be negative gave scientists valuable clues.

“Our data points to key factors that increase the likelihood of influenza transmission—andcough is one of the main ones here“,” emphasizes epidemiologist Lai Jianyu, who led the data analysis and preparation of the report.

According to her, students with the flu had a lot of virus in their noses, but they hardly coughed, so only a small amount of it got into the air.

“Another important factor is ventilation and air movement. In the room where the study took place, the air was constantly and quickly mixed by a heater and a dehumidifier, so that small amounts of the virus simply dissolved in it,” explains the experimenter.

In addition, middle-aged people tend to be less susceptible to influenza than younger people, which may also be one reason for the lack of infections, she adds.

How to protect yourself from the flu

There is no doubt that airborne transmission of influenza viruses is the main route of spread. But to develop effective preventive measures, we need an in-depth study of this path, information obtained in experiments like this.

Therefore, research will continue. This time, scientists expect to attract coughing flu patients to them. However, they are already ready to give some recommendations on how to protect themselves from infection.

“The riskiest thing is to be close to other people in a room, face to face, especially if there is little air movement. But this is exactly how we communicate most often.

Our results show that portable air purifiers that not only clean but also mix the air can make a big difference. But if you’re very close and someone is coughing, the best way to protect yourself is to wear a mask, especially an N95, advises Milton.