Before each encounter, the players take a deep breath and "blow" into the Resp-Aer-Meter. Here, the aerosol concentration of the exhaled air breathed is measured.

Why? Research has shown that the Coronavirus is transmitted via the air we breathe - through aerosols. Aerosols are formed in the lungs, among other places. Viruses like the Coronavirus can attach themselves to these tiny particles and are exhaled with them. People near an infected person can breathe in these aerosols and become infected.

"The amount of exhaled aerosols varies among people." Explains Dr.-Ing. Frederik Weis, head of development at Palas GmbH. "This also means that people are contagious in different ways." When it comes to the risk of infection, it further plays a role whether one is indoors, how large a room is, and how many people are nearby.

MT Melsungen players breathe into the device. The evaluation is immediate: the machine shows how many particles of what size are present in the breath. This serves as an indicator of possible illness. If a specific value is exceeded, the person is considered infectious and can thus be isolated from the group before infecting others.

"Using the Resp-Aer-Meter provides additional safety exceeding the mandatory swab testing that we continue to perform regularly by league regulations. Resp-Aer testing is a valuable preventive measure to minimize the risk of infection from the outset. I will therefore present this innovative method to the league's club general managers and report on our positive experiences," explains MT board member Axel Geerken.

Palas GmbH contributed long-standing expertise in measuring aerosol particles to developing the new exhalation measuring device. Palas GmbH received scientific advice and support from the renowned expert Dr. Gerhard Scheuch, who is also involved in the project with MT Melsungen. He knows: "Wherever people are relatively close together in enclosed spaces with little fresh air exchange over a long period, the risk of infection is very high if someone among them is infectious. In this case, infection with aerosols containing disease-causing viruses occurs through the air we breathe."

More Information (German)