Wind music causes less transmission than singing

Playing wind instruments spreads more viruses than breathing, but less than speaking or singing. A relatively large number of viruses can emerge from the clarinet. It releases considerably more aerosols, which can contain pathogens such as Sars-CoV-2, compared to other instruments such as the flute. However, the risk of transmission from an infected person playing a wind instrument is generally much lower than for people who sing or speak, provided that one spends the same amount of time in their vicinity. This is the conclusion drawn by a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS) in Göttingen and the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) in a comprehensive study. The researchers determined the particle emission and the associated maximum risk of transmission when playing many different wind instruments. The results provide clues how cultural events can be organized with the lowest possible risk of infection, even during the pandemic.