IS THIS THING AIRBORNE??

[R2221]

We’ve been going on long country side walks. A few other families/couples were there and they all were mindful of keeping distance. At no point were we within 10ft distance of others. Now I read that Coronavirus could be airborne. Wth !!

Can anyone pls tell me what you know about it? I’ve been to the supermarkets nearly every day for the last 7-10 days to get bits of my weekly shopping. I could never get everything at one place in one go. Should I prepare for getting CV then - like prepare batch meals and freeze, things like that. We’ve been isolating and massively social distancing for the last 2 weeks. Is that all futile ??

I read a similar study mentioned above about a man on a bus. I believe it had a 6 foot spread and everyone sitting within that distance, not wearing a mask, got infected. Also read another study that it can survive 3 hours in the air, 24 hours on card board, 72 hours on plastic and steel.

I’m not sure what you meant, but if you’re trying to say it is in our breath when we breathe out then you are wrong.

No, she's not. It is in our breath when we breathe out.

www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces

3 hours in air as droplets.

Are you disinfecting the outsides of the things you buy?

My approach is that given it's not known 100% for certain exactly how it is spread, cover all the bases - wash hands, isolation or distancing depending on circumstances, if you have a mask use it, or use a scarf in crowded areas and follow all the advice given so far to protect yourself and others.

Even if we lockdown shopping for food will still happen - please stop jumping on people who are trying their best after a load of conflicting advice and be thankful they are at least engaging and asking pertinent questions.

Yes, this is airborne. The normal spread of viruses such as flu is by droplet - coughing and sneezing the droplets drop a few feet and land on surfaces. However, this virus was determined as being airborne by China and then studies. The studies have suggested it can be in the air for 3 hours. I think the more people are aware the more likely they will act accordingly and I cannot say why the govt has failed to inform people but their message seems to be there will be lost and then the remainder will be immune so lets just get it over with, a total opposite to the rest of the world. I think this document should be sent to as many people as poss to make the govt confront this and provide proper notice to the people. So please do this send it to everyone you feel may benefit and take adequate precautions to safeguard yourselves and loved ones.

www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces

www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-lifespan-on-surfaces-graphic-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

Yeah well since we all have to go shopping every few days it's pretty damn hard to avoid other people altogether.

Um.... By any definition of airborne that I know, it’s airborne.

hub.jhu.edu/2020/03/20/sars-cov-2-survive-on-surfaces/

Explains it better. The size of the virus is tiny. As such it can sit in the air for a while.

isolation means you don't go out. Order online or ask some friends or neighbours to get the food for you - of course they should drop it off without contact.

@oldqueen1969 - anyone who doesn't know this is airborne ought to know. It has been made quite clear for some weeks now. I understand where you're coming from, that we should be kind to people, but this isn't a situation where someone being wilfully ignorant is no big deal. It is incredibly selfish not to pay attention to what we're being told, and even more selfish to decide not to bother with it.

Article in NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
ON IT BEING AIRBORNE

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

The Chinese used cctv on buses to determine how various people came in to contact with the virus. They found that a man at the back of the bus caught it from a man at the front-facing forward showing it being airborne rather than droplet infection.

They then determined another person who then got on the bus 30 mins after the first 2 had left caught it as it remained airborne. Clearly the advice to just wash your hands is wholly misleading and a failure to advise the public of relevant details with the goal in my opinion of saving the economy rather than lives.

Remember the 1995 film "Outbreak" ?!

Watch this clip. Stay away from people and cover your mouth and nose if you cough or sneeze!!!

It doesn't usually hang around in the air (have an 'aerosol' form; rather than coughs or sneezes, which the 2m distance is designed to cover) or we'd be seeing much higher rates of transmission.

OP do you have any other option than a supermarket? Often the corner shops have plenty in (not a wide range but lots of each item). I'd try there instead.

Of course it’s airborne. That’s why we were told to sneeze/cough into elbows.Planes and cruises and hotels, perfect environment to spread it through air con. Nice bit of wind yesterday and today, blows it straight at your face, social distancing my arse! Someone 20 feet away sneezes and the droplets are carried straight to you. Stay at home!!

@Tootletum :
I agree - to a point.
But, the steps we're being asked to take are about MINIMISING risk rather than ERRADICATING it.

Supermarket trolley handles or shopping basket handles are another concern.

We can only control what we as individuals do.
The danger, is other people.

A 2018 study showed that
flu viruses are transmitted just by breathing and concluded that keeping surfaces clean, washing our hands all the time, and avoiding people who are coughing does not provide complete protection from getting the flu. Staying home and out of public spaces could make a difference in the spread of the influenza virus.

(At the time the admonition to stay home was with to the person feeling ill.)

This study looked at how long covid 19 survives on various surfaces.

the virus is detectable for up to three hours in aerosols, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel

There is the suggestion that it spread via the air-conditioning on the cruise ships while people were isolated in their rooms.

@SarahAndQuack

The variety of responses to the question demonstrate that it hasn't been made clear enough, obviously, and some people are surrounded by others pooh poohing the whole thing even now.

Funny how the "be kind" rhetoric only applies in certain situations eh? Not everyone has the luxury of keeping up to date with the very fast moving information on this virus.

The most damaging information that was given out via official channels was that it would probably be mild for the vast majority. That stuck. And may be very wrong. The delays in recommending isolation and waiting so long to shut down large gatherings and schools sent entirely the wrong message.

The OP now has a better informed chance of being part of the solution than the problem. Surely that's a win?

It has been made clear enough.

The issue is that some people are selfish, and others are lazy, and many don't want to believe what they have been told.

'Be kind' is not an appropriate suggestion here. It doesn't apply. Did you really imagine 'be kind' was the way to solve a pandemic? No? Then maybe consider how silly you sound.

It's fine to suggest being kind to selfish people when no one is at risk. It's fine to err on the side of caution and assume the OP has been miraculously unable to access any form of basic info for three weeks, if no one is at risk.

But we're not in that situation, are we?

Yes of course it's airborne.

How else do you think it gets onto surfaces?

It lives and multiplies in the throat, spreads to the lungs which it destroys if left untreated, and it is spread by coughing and sneezing. It floats around, you can inhale it, and it lands on surfaces and you can transmit it from your hands to your eyes, nose and mouth.

And, btw, it will be mild for the majority. No one is disputing that. The issue is that it is not mild for many people.

I can't fucking stand our government and I think they've fucked up bigtime, but it is just wilful selfish stupidity to pretend that somehow, the advice that it was minor for the majority justified everyone ignoring the news that it was serious for many elderly, compromised people.

@SarahAndQuack

I'm sure that you are under an inordinate amount of stress and understand utterly your frustration. I hope your situation, whatever it is, is as good as it can be under the current trying circumstances.

I hope that true community spirit is what helps see the flattening of the curve, and that continued direct, firm but civil and up to date factual information sharing is part of that effort.

The truly selfish and uncaring would not be looking for further advice in order to help the effort.