New study says it’s airborne as well as droplet borne

[VivaLeBeaver]

This is seriously worrying. A study has shown that the virus remains in the air hours after the Covid positive person has left. So this means going to the supermarket is ultra high risk even if you keep 2m apart. I haven’t been wearing a mask due to thinking if I kept 2m away from people I’d be ok. But I’m wearing one now!

Sorry it’s a daily mail link.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8171521/Coronavirus-does-spread-air-lingers-rooms-long-patients-left-study.html

We already know it lingers in the air for 3 hours, not sure whats new

Well I didn’t know. I’d previously read about it being droplet borne, that as long as you maintain 2m distance you’re ok. 2m distance will do nothing for you if it’s airborne.

Different studies are showing different things all the time at the moment. WHO said a few days ago that it wasn't airborne, other studies say it is. I don't think there's enough info to know at the moment.

Yes, just found this about WHO saying it isn’t but virus experts saying it could well be.

www.npr.org/2020/03/28/823292062/who-reviews-available-evidence-on-coronavirus-transmission-through-air

I wish they would make their minds up.

Following

I thought it was probably much more easily transmitted esp when considering the asymptomatic.

I suspect the Oxford view is more of a realistic reflection than the Imperial one.

Old news. It was reported to be airborne back in January. I agree not good!

Droplet bourne / air bourne all the same. Droplets are air bourne.
Nothing has changed. Old news

Droplets don’t hang around in the air for 3 hours though?

So I think it’s quite a massive difference. Droplets fall down (possibly some distance) and land on surfaces.

It can be an aerosol if a lot of people are together in a confined space for a period of time ( think poorly ventilated church hall singing). A lofty supermarket should be fine - i do think the who were wrong to advise against masks and they did it to protect medical supplies.

I agree op hanging in the air for 3 hours is very different to droplets on surfaces.

I wish they'd make their mind up. My hunch is it's probably airborne because it spreads so easily and from people who don't have coughs or any other symptoms, but what do I know.

Have to say I was quite sceptical about the new suggestion the other day (when was it? days are blurring a bit!) that it wasn't airborne.

No expert

This interview with Kim Woo-joo, a professor of infectious diseases at the Korea University Guro Hospital and one of South Korea’s most prominent coronavirus experts is very very informative. Yes it is long, but the information is well explained and sensible (he explains the aerosol phenomenon well) and worth the lengthy watch imo. He is an advocate for masks.

Honestly, there is as many bits of 'evidence' as there are 'experts'. Just as with any form of research it will take time before studies that are totally conclusive appear. Normally what happens is that after a year or so people start researching all the research and looking at the differences and similarities, but we don't have time for that.

The best we can do at the moment is use what we do know about how illnesses in general are transmitted and what reduces any illness being transmitted ie stay distant and wash your hands. The less mixing, the less spread.

Looking back to the HIV pandemic initially it was thought that holding hands with an infected person or sitting near them meant you were at risk. Over time as we understood it more we realised that exchange of bodily fluids was needed. this then refined to the type of bodily fluid. This is what will happen with COVID-19.

It's always been known that it's airborne because that's why the masks only slightly reduce the risk. The airborne particles are small enough to be breathed in through any mask whereas the droplets someone may cough out are not 🤔

Its only in certain circumstances that it becomes airborne e.g. getting intubated. Under normal circumstances it falls through the air to the ground/onto surfaces

Yeah but the Who came out the other day and said it was not airborne just droplets.

@dementedpixie would the dental water jet/drill thingy (technical term 🤣) be another example of a circumstance in which it can become airborne and that’s why they’ve cancelled most dentistry for now?

Yes I think it is the reason for dental work to have stopped

www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations

It's hugely infectious so I guess it was always airborne. Not sure how it makes a difference as we're in lockdown anyway.

Well this is a small thing in the grand scheme of things but I'd like to know if it could be hanging in the air in the communal hall in my building. I wish I had a front door that opened straight onto the outdoors.