Tuesday, March 31, 2020

What COVID-19 Spreading Through "Droplets" Means - Pro Publica

Sneezing and coughing aren’t the only ways droplets get transmitted.

W.H.O. research shows that liquid droplets are necessary to transmit the virus, and they need to go from the infected person’s mouth or nose into someone else’s eyes, nose or mouth.

People can also get infected if they touch a contaminated surface where a droplet has fallen onto and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.

But sneezing and coughing aren’t the only ways droplets get transmitted.

Droplets are not necessarily huge, like globs.  We release respiratory droplets when we speak. People clear their throat. Some people spit when they talk.

This doesn’t mean that the coronavirus is being transmitted as an “aerosol.”

It does mean that if you’re standing right next to someone who is infected and they’re talking to you, or if you’re in a room full of singers who are projecting their voices in an enclosed space, there are going to be droplets in the air, and yes, you could inhale them.

Experts say that if you have to leave home, staying outdoors is the safest bet, since open air can help to “dilute” any potential microbes that reach you.

Of course, this isn’t free of risk, so maintain a 6 foot distance, at least.

The full article is available here