Coronavirus is airborne - mask up

[parietal]

I recently commented on a thread about hand-washing that the coronavirus is airborne and a bunch of people jumped on to argue. Here, I want to make the case that this thing really is airborne and that is what we need to focus on

Back in Feb / March, we did not know much about the virus but now there is more and more evidence that this thing spreads through the air. Not just big droplets on surfaces, and not just someone coughing in your face. Just breathing the same air as an infected person is enough to spread the virus.

Most of these papers are from
twitter.com/AliNouriPhD/status/1305899457540771847?s=20 who is a molecular biologist. I'm just summarising them here

1. In a call centre in Korea, 1 person infected 94 out of 216 colleagues on the same floor. The people who caught covid worked in the same room but at distant desks. Others on the same floor (sharing lifts & bathrooms) did not catch it.

2. Restaurant in china with 5 big round tables. 3 tables had a re-circulating aircon system above all 3 - one covid case at the middle table spread to 9 people at the other 2 tables. But there were also 2 tables on a different aircon system and none of the people at those tables got covid.

3. In Starbucks in Korea, one lady with covid spent an hour chatting to a friend. 26 people in the same starbucks got infected BUT the 4 employees (who were wearing masks) did not
   edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-08-25-20-intl/h_d88a8d6e5ee96dd569bd1be5d494de45

4. the virus has been captured in air at least 5m from patients and can survive for 16 hours in the air

The more we understand about the virus, the better we can defend against it. And all this data suggests that the most important thing is don't breathe the same air - big open spaces with fresh air are good. And if you can't stay in an open space, wear a mask.

Wear a mask if you can.

Saying coronavirus is airborne is too simplistic.

It can become airborne, most commonly through aerosol generating procedures such as intubation and many dental procedures. There have been incidents of coronavirus becoming airborne outside of these type of procedures, however the vast majority of infections are still believed to occur through droplet transmission.

www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/transmission-of-sars-cov-2-implications-for-infection-prevention-precautions

Face coverings are useful for catching droplets from the wearer. In situations where the virus has become airborne they are completely useless. You would need a fit tested FFP3 mask and full PPE such as that worn by medics in ICU.

On a related note, they really should insist on dictor's exemption's for masks, because frankly there are very very few people who cannot wear one. Much less than those who don't currently.

@ksohh0

On a related note, they really should insist on dictor's exemption's for masks, because frankly there are very very few people who cannot wear one. Much less than those who don't currently.

Because doctors have so much time on their hands right now

Some reasons for exemption aren't medical. People with trauma from undisclosed DV/rape, for example. And such a scheme would need a personal evaluation for every single patient - just because one person with, say, asthma can wear a mask, another can't. Conditions and their effects vary between sufferers.

You'd be surprised how many people are exempt - you say that there are 'very, very few' but there are millions of people living with PTSD, neurological conditions, severe respiratory or skin conditions, sensory issues... The number will be higher than you think.

Face coverings are useful for catching droplets from the wearer. In situations where the virus has become airborne they are completely useless. You would need a fit tested FFP3 mask and full PPE such as that worn by medics in ICU.

Exactly. If you think about the size of a virus compared to the size of the holes in a face covering, it would be like sieving sand through a cattle grid wouldn't it?

@oracle699 you ok hun?

@ksohh0 Completely agree with you that people should be required to show medical evidence if they are not wearing a mask in a place where mask wearingi s mandated. Other European countries are achieving pretty much universal mask wearing on public transport. It should be like that here. Non-compliance will cost lives.

I think there are far more people that can mask up that aren't at least trying.

Iv heard so many asthmatics say they cant wear masks , yet the asthmatic society really advocates that people try to get use to the uncomfortable feeling in their home first and build up their tolerance.

My DH has moderate persistent asthma and has worked hard to be at a stage where he can fully wear one now .

I have sometimes wondered what would happen if all the people who claim they can't wear masks were offered £1000 provided they wore masks in all relevant settings for a month. I think the number of people "unable" to wear a mask would fall dramatically.

@LilyPond2 yes me too.

There were the infected hairdressers in the USA too.

Open a window. Meet outdoors. Avoid loudmouths.

Here in the UK the authorities and the media seems to avoid stories on how it's spread. Squeamishness as to picking on individuals or business sectors maybe but imo it adds to the disbelief that's out there.

WHO did publish that it was not airborne just at the time UK went into lockdown....
But I have also seen some other scientists pointing at it being airborne lately, and they do work with that assumption in their tests/ models.
These are really bad news! Winter will indeed bring another wave with the heating and air circulation systems in big spaces!
Masks are not really good enough for airborne! We are talking of proper RPE, with proper filters. It is rather difficult to breath with those. And you need to have them fitted!

Masks appear to be doing something.

In that case a normal face covering or surgical mask is effectively useless anyway.

As in doing something in these social situations, observed in different countries.

We will have to go full space suit🤖

Of course it’s airborne. There’s no other way to explain the pattern of infection in that Starbucks case in Seoul, and many, many other superspreader events.

If you’re sceptical ask yourself why there’s barely any outdoor transmission (97% indoor transmission is the stat I’ve seen). If this was spread purely through close range droplet based transmission then outdoor transmission would not be so rare. This virus thrives in enclosed, poorly ventilated, indoor spaces.

This excellent Time article covers the subject well:

time.com/5883081/covid-19-transmitted-aerosols/

I started lockdown dreading the huffers doing their jogging but the more I've read I really am relaxed outdoors (as long as I'm not too close to any loud friends!)

Yeap full self breathing apparatus for everyone for 14 or 28 days shall do it!

Ebay does sell hazmats! In bright green and all!

I can’t believe this point even has to be made. Doesn’t anyone wonder why densely populated cities in Asia are doing better than we are with this virus? Because mask wearing is universal. Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong - these places should have been overrun giving their proximity and links to Wuhan.

The arrogance of the British public (and government) to ignore successful strategies from other countries because “we know better” is truly astonishing.