Vuvuzela Again

25 May 2011 - We have not heard a lot about the Vuvuzela - the horns used by football fans celebrating last year's World Cup. It is now revealed by experts that the Vuvuzela may not only cause noise pollution but also spread diseases. A short burst on the instrument creates a spittle shower similar to a sneeze, travelling at a four million droplets a second, a PLoS One journal study shows. In crowded venues one person blowing a vuvuzela could infect many others with airborne illness like the flu or TB. Organisers are considering whether to allow them at the 2012 London Olympics. Critics say they are anti-social and unsafe because of their potential to generate a din louder than a plane taking off. Dr Ruth McNerney, who carried out the latest work at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said a "vuvuzela blowing etiquette" may be needed rather than a ban. "Just as with coughs or sneezes, action should be taken to prevent disease transmission, and people with infections must be advised against blowing their vuvuzelas close to other people," she said.