Droplets could fly two rows forward when spectators cough or sneeze without wearing masks at Tokyo Dome, according to an experiment conducted there by The Yomiuri Giants.
The Yomiuri Giants conducted the experiment on how droplets from sneezes and coughs scatter in a spectator seating area of Tokyo Dome in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday. The results are expected to contribute to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The facility's air conditioning was adjusted to the same settings as during a game during the experiment, which was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and other organizations.
The team placed mannequins in the seats behind the net. One of them was equipped to blow liquid from its mouth to simulate cough or sneeze droplets. Researchers conducted the experiment under a variety of conditions, such as whether or not masks were worn.
A laser beam was shone on the area where the synthetic spectators were seated, and a high-performance camera captured the movement of the airborne particles.
The team confirmed that droplets flew two seats forward when produced without a mask, and a relatively large quantity of droplets escaped even when a mannequin wore a mask with its nose exposed. It also was confirmed that almost no droplets were emitted when masks were properly worn.
"We'll make full use of this information in our future infection prevention measures," Yoshikazu Oka, executive officer at Tokyo Dome Corp., said.
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