Venezuela conducts study to measure Covid-19 contagion in enclosed spaces

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Venezuela began a study to measure carbon dioxide levels to evaluate the risk of covid-19 contagion in closed spaces, informed the Minister of Science and Technology this Thursday Gabriela Jiménez-Ramírez.

“This measurement of CO2 concentrations in closed spaces is part of a scientific study that will serve as a basis to elaborate a guide of orientations in our country that will allow us to learn to coexist with the virus causing covid-19 under maximum care”, said Jiménez quoted in a press release of the Ministry of Communication.

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According to the text, the first evaluations began in the facilities of the Caracas Metro and are being carried out by specialists of the National Center for Development and Research in Telecommunications (Cendit), in cooperation with the Vice-Presidency of Public Services.

The Minister also explained that the measurement of carbon dioxide, “as an indicator of ventilation in closed spaces, is a tool to correlate the possibility of contagion of the new coronavirus” and said that the higher the concentration of people in closed spaces without ventilation, the “higher the concentration” of carbon dioxide.

In this sense, he indicated that the carbon dioxide levels “provide a risk indicator” that is “related to the fact of breathing air transpired by a person infected” with covid-19.

Venezuela has announced several studies related to covid-19, one of them, a possible treatment to cure the disease, carvativir, which has not yet been scientifically endorsed.

On March 7, the Minister of Science and Technology also indicated that her country’s scientists were studying more than 40 molecules against covid-19 to contribute and find solutions to help counteract this virus in the world.

To date, according to the Government, Venezuela has registered a total of 309,218 infections and 3,649 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic more than a year ago.

As of July 25, a total of 3,612,473 citizens had been vaccinated in Venezuela, according to President Nicolás Maduro.