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Coronavirus: What’s behind the mask?
How can a piece of cloth help to stop a global pandemic, ask ROX MIDDLETON, LIAM SHAW and JOEL HELLEWELL

COPIES of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, which is causing the current pandemic, linger in the respiratory tract of infected people, seemingly regardless of whether they show any symptoms of infection. 

Common actions such as speaking or singing, as well as coughing and sneezing, expel “droplets” that contain copies of the virus. 

Transmission of the virus between people can occur through these droplets if they land directly in the mouth or nose of another person. 

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