Experiments visualising the airflow when breathing, speaking and laughing, show that wearing a mask indoors can drastically reduce the risk of transmission of airborne particles. Without a mask, breath is ejected from the lungs to form a secondary plume in front of the host, increasing the risk of exposure for others. When wearing a mask, the secondary plume is no longer formed and the airborne particles instead move upwards to the upper layer of the room where they can be safely removed by a ventilation system.

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