The onset of autumn, and thus the relocation of many activities to indoor areas, makes the coronavirus pandemic much harder to control. It is therefore all the more important to investigate in detail how the virus is transmitted by aerosols in closed rooms and thus to find answers to questions such as how the virus spreads via exhaled air in a room or which decontamination measures should be taken. This is the focus of the “Aerosols Expert Group”, which was convened by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science on 7th October 2020 and will take up its work this week.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP is represented in the expert group by Prof. Gunnar Grün. Prof. Gunnar Grün is Deputy Director of Fraunhofer IBP and Professor of Building Physics at the University of Stuttgart. His longstanding professional experience and diverse research work in the Department of Energy Efficiency and Indoor Climate have made him an expert in the field of aerosol propagation and indoor airflows.

Aerosol propagation itself has been an issue in many areas for some time. However, its combination with the spread of the coronavirus is new. There is a great need for knowledge in this field, but very little reliable information is available. The “Aerosols Expert Group”, which is made up of specialists from diverse areas of expertise, aims to change this. Its task will initially be to collect cross-sectoral information, identify unanswered questions and scientifically assess infection risks. The group will then be in a position to evaluate current protection concepts and combinations thereof. If necessary, more experts can be added to the group or expert guests can be called in to address new or specific issues.