The virus is NOT airborne - WHO

[TheReelSlimShady]

So the WHO have officially stated that the virus is NOT airborne as has been stated many times :

twitter.com/WHO/status/1243972193169616898

Their recommendation is to keep 1 metre apart , not 2 metres as many countries have been using (including in the UK).

Does this change anything? I guess it may calm the anxiety of picking up the virus when out and about doing exercise if someone gets a bit too close, or in the supermarket.

Yes, they are. Not 100% but somewhat. We're told in the west that they're not effective because there is a shortage and they want to prioritise frontline workers

Not interested in dumb conspiracy theories but surgical masks aren’t effective at stopping viruses (they weren’t designed to) because there’s too much space left between the face and the mask. The N95 type masks that are fitted are more effective.

i think just passing someone then yes we can be reassured.but in conversation snese i think a droplets of spit could very much pass 1m.

" at least every 2 hours while you are at home."

While you are at home? I live alone. I thought I was safe inside my home. Who could I be catching it from once I'm home and have washed my hands and wiped down my shopping?

And today we find out that 2metres is not enough!

This thread, if nothing else, highlights the lack of real facts we have about coronavirus.

Until we can be sure, the best course of action is surely to be ultra careful.

"Not interested in dumb conspiracy theories but surgical masks aren’t effective at stopping viruses (they weren’t designed to) because there’s too much space left between the face and the mask. The N95 type masks that are fitted are more effective."

You didn't specify N95 masks. Surgical masks offer a lower protection, but still some.
The fact that there is a supply problem in the west is not a 'conspiracy theory'. Talk to doctors and nurses about how adequate their PPE is.

The WHO

' you can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within 1m of the person'

That sounds airborne but not airborne like say anthrax ( chemical attackers)or measles
but more airborne than HIV which isn't airborne at all and you can't catch from spit.

I am even more confused now.

Can the wind blow it off the ground into my face when walking? ( is that low risk)

Can as pp asked dogs get it off the pavement?

That's really good news in the current situation, thank you; I know the WHO are still learning about this virus as it's SO new and different (not always a good thing, as we're all learning!) but I don't think they'd share that assertion if it didn't have pretty robust evidence behind it.

I'm confused as well. I thought the average person was supposed to pass it on to 2 others-is this not counting from surfaces though? Also I don't see how so many asymptomatic people can be passing it on when they are not coughing or sneezing and I should think people are keeping talking to a bare minimum whilst out now too. I just don't get how it's being passed on to this extent if it's not airborne.

I thought we already knew it wasn't airborne? Anyway I am going to continue with the 2m rule as I have been (trying) to do.

Even if you stay at home and see nobody, I guess you could still get it from the post. Nothing is failproof.

As it's not airborne, maybe the best advice would be to simply wear gloves. I don't know why the authorities haven't said this.

You can’t know to avoid someone sneezing or coughing until afterwards. I think 2 m is minimum safe distance.

I just don't get how it's being passed on to this extent if it's not airborne.

I'm hoping the cases we are seeing now are the ones that were passed on pre lockdown. It can incubate for 14 days so that would make sense. Imagine a crowded pub or night club or concert. Loads of them would be infected and then go out and pass it on to others who then pass it on. Hopefully in a few weeks we will see a reduction in cases.

1. Droplet and airborne transmission are two different things.

1. For the person talking about penis and testicles being mucous membranes - the inside of your mouth, vagina and rectum are mucous membranes. Penis and scrotum are normal skin. They feel completely different.

Sneezes and coughs can travel further than 2m!!

@Witchend

Yes, that was entirely my point.

Dixie can you say more about droplet and airborne?

Sneeze -droplet
Airborne- breathe and it carries ?

why is a father and son, kicking a ball around in a large park anymore likely to spread disease than said father & son running together? Come to that, why is exercising twice a day for 30mins more dangerous than 1 bout of exercise for 60mins?

It is not in essence more likely to spread disease if it is a father and son who live together. If they do not live together, it is more likely in terms of proximity if contact that may occur . However, it is a pastime and will be seen by others who will then copy it despite not being just two people who live in the same house but possibly groups of young boys and men playing football, tackling, shouting at each other and playing for a long time as a social event.
The number of occasions increases the risk. Literally, every time we leave the house the risk increases.

The advice has been given by epidemiologists and the government about how to prevent spread of this virus. As individuals we make choices but we should weigh up potential risks and if they are increased by our actions. The advice given is intended to keep the risk as low as possible for everyone. Every time we step outside the house and the advice we increase the risk.

Dixie can you say more about droplet and airborne?

Sneeze -droplet
Airborne- breathe and it carries ?

But you can breathe it in up to 1m?

FFS Mumsnet. Can those of you who are thick enough to think you know better better than the WHO pls suspend your read-write access to the internet, you don't deserve it

13 years I've been on MN. I've haven't seen anything like the outpouring of vicious, nasty posts as I have in the last two weeks. It's awful.

I agree with pp I don’t know why people are so irate. MIT have said otherwise but we can’t discuss it. Odd.

Also not everyone understands what 2m is exactly. I braved the supermarket today after a long break, limited numbers of people allowed in and 70% did not follow the 2m rule at all once inside. I hated it. I felt like I should have a recording playing on a loop ‘2 f***g meters people’. Complete ignorance. Men were much better at keeping at least the minimum distance, most women were useless at it, walking about without a worry in the world or consideration for others.

Anecdotal 'evidence' from my non peer reviewed study of my friends as to why men are more susceptible. They are still socializing. Albeit in houses rather than pubs or clubs.

WHO is not God, they can and are subject to scrutiny. Ideally we want advice based on averages and erring on the side of caution. They have been very slow to react and have not implemented more robust strategies for such situations - but they are very beaurocratic (which I can’t spell!,) so delays and omissions are inevitable.
I still maintain 2m is not enough. Masks are not completely useless.

I'm hoping the cases we are seeing now are the ones that were passed on pre lockdown. It can incubate for 14 days so that would make sense. Imagine a crowded pub or night club or concert. Loads of them would be infected and then go out and pass it on to others who then pass it on. Hopefully in a few weeks we will see a reduction in cases.

Ah yeh hopefully that is the case. I guess it's seemed liked longer than it's actually been that we've been social distancing. I remember back before we had any cases here probably end Jan/beginning Feb I was in a shopping queue and this random lady in front of me started talking to me about my shopping and I smelt her breath as she talked (very good sense of smell!) and thought back then if we had any CV cases here and she had it I'd have probably caught it off her! If that had happened in the past couple of weeks I'd probably be panicking right now.

I just don't get how it's being passed on to this extent if it's not airborne
It is carried by infected human beings who sneeze, cough, spray saliva drops or touch things and other human beings inhale that or touch the same things then touch their face.
Many of the infected human beings have no or mild symptoms and do not know or realise they have it.
There are hundreds of thousands of people who have been or currently are infected in the UK. When we go out to a shop, we:
touch door handles or panels
touch fridges and freezers
pick up food to look at it
pick up food others have handled/touched(customets/shelf-stackers/checkout staff)
touch trolley handles and edges
touch baskets and edges
touch money or debit card machines
Cough, sneeze, speak spreading it into the air
Inhale it from others
Find it almost impossible to stay at least 2m diameter from anyone else
Touch our face constantly

It is that easy to catch it.

Every infected person infects 2.8-3 others when they go out. That is why staying at home dramatically reduces the spread.