CIT UPC jointly organised the Seminar with Experts ‘Why are infections increasing so much if we are all wearing masks? Is there an ideal mask?’
Seminar with Experts. Why are infections increasing so much if we are all wearing masks? Is there an ideal mask?
November 3, 2020
A photovoltaic power plant opens on the North Diagonal Campus of the UPC
November 4, 202020/11/2020
On 11 November, the CIT UPC in collaboration with the Railgrup cluster, jointly organised the webinar Seminari amb Experts, Per què augmenten tant els contagis si tots fem servir mascareta? Existeix la mascareta idònia? (Why are infections increasing so much if we are all wearing masks? Is there an ideal mask?), to obtain answers from two UPC researchers of great prestige in the area of materials.
Enric Álvarez, researcher in the Computational Biology and Complex Systems Group (BIOCOM-SC UPC), presented a field study of Barcelona on variations in the use of the mask depending on whether people are in parks, shops, bars, terraces or public areas. The study confirmed that there is a greater risk of infection at shorter distances (between 2 and 5 metres) and in areas that are badly ventilated.
Enric Carrera, director of the research group of the Institute of Textile Research and Industrial Cooperation of Terrassa (INTEXTER) of the UPC, talked about the masks that can be found on the market (FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3), their efficiency (filtration capacity, fit and breathability) and the type of textile that is generally used. He also highlighted the importance of how the mask is put on and adjusted to the face (with a good seal between the edges and the face) to achieve the most effectiveness.
A total of 70 people attended the online seminar.
The event was jointly funded by the European Regional Development Funds as part of the ERDF Operational Programme in Catalonia 2014–2020.
