Created with Sketch.
A video showing a simulation of someone sneezing near another person wearing a face shield has revealed exactly how much protection such face covers can offer ― and the answer is, not much.
Researchers at Fukuoka University in Japan wanted to better understand what happens to the airflow around a face shield when someone nearby sneezes.
They were particularly interested in sneezes because they produce a fluid phenomenon known as “vortex rings,” which lead researcher Fujio Akagi says is “a donut-shaped vortex that is generated by an instantaneous ejection of fluid from a circular orifice” ― a bit like bubble rings made by dolphins.