03/04/2021
LET'S START BOOKING AGAIN!
This just in about cruisng and the spread of the virus.
The spread of aerosol particles between spaces on a cruise ship, through the ventilation system on board, is “undetectable” on surfaces and in the air.
That’s according to a new study conducted by a team of researchers from the University Of Nebraska Medical Center, in collaboration with Royal Caribbean Group.
Five medical scientists from UNMC, led by Josh Santarpia, PhD., an associate professor of pathology and microbiology at the school, conducted the study onboard Oasis of the Seas in July 2020. The team undertook the study to understand what role HVAC systems play in spreading airborne particles on cruise ships, including across staterooms, lounges, and other public spaces.
To do so, the team released billions of microspheres, simulating COVID-19 particles, across the ship. They then looked at how different airflow—when hallway and balcony doors were open, between separate public spaces, and in singular spaces—influenced the spread.
According to the study, “no exchange of aerosol particles were observed between spaces only connected by the ventilation system (such as adjacent staterooms, both crew and guests), indicating that the likelihood of aerosol exchanged between adjacent rooms is very unlikely.”