OMICRON SPREADS WITH BRIEF CONTACT

[Anchor Lead]

A restaurant owner in Incheon has contracted the omicron variant after talking with an infected person for just about one minute with a mask on. Authorities say transmission is possible if people stay in a closed space for too long, pointing to the importance of ventilation.

[Pkg]

A woman in her 30s who runs a restaurant in Incheon tested positive for the omicron variant after an infected customer visited the eatery early last week. The conversation they had when the food was delivered and the bill was paid lasted around a minute. The owner is known to have worn a mask throughout the customer’s stay. In most cases, coronavirus spreads through saliva droplets within a two meter distance. In the latest case, airborne transmission is being suspected. Virus spreads via aerosols with minute particles floating in the air. Authorities explain that infections occurring by being in a location where a patient had visited have been confirmed with other variants as well. Therefore it’s best not to stay too long at restaurants and cafes where many people gather. Airborne transmission is known to be possible in closed off, crowded conditions which underscores the importance of frequent ventilation. It’s best to have two windows open to enable air flow in a diagonal way. Ventilation effects are maximized when the window through which air comes in is smaller than the exiting one.

[Soundbite] Prof. Jung Ki-suck(Hallym Univ. Sacred Heart Hospital) : "The KDCA believes ventilation can reduce infections by a third. It’s important that people ventilate their individual spaces well."

Air transmission of omicron is also suggested overseas. Korean officials say there’s not yet definitive evidence at home and they are exploring possibilities. The Incheon restaurant owner and the infected customer were both unvaccinated.