The WHO and CDC don't acknowledge it, but if airborne transmission plays a big role in COVID-19's spread, the U.S. may have to rethink its prevention methods.
www.usatoday.com
Hello; I tried to find more current information about the possibility of the covid19 virus be transmitted as an aerosol. The attached link is the best I found so far. I have had suspicions along this line for a few months. As was pointed out in another thread my suspicions amount to nothing on their own. However now there are better qualified folks having the same suspicion. See the link. Granted the CDC and the WHO apparently have not included this possibility in their guidelines, so if you depend on them feel free to ignore my comments.
This presents an if -then situation. If indeed the virus is at least partially aerosol then some additional precautions might be needed. First what is the distinction and why it can matter. The general advice so far has been the virus is like most others in that when we cough or sneeze the virus can travel for around six feet or so attached on droplets which soon fall out of the air. That is the why we have been told to keep six feet apart inside or outside. If the covid19 is indeed aerosol that changes the case. Aerosol can mean the virus rides in the air as tiny particles and may persist for a long time, not just on the slightly heavier droplets. Maybe even hours.
To me this makes what can happen indoors different than the heavier droplets. Outdoors not so much difference. Say I am in a building or a car with a closed ventilation system (most central air systems are closed and cars AC can be). That means the air inside is recirculated over and over. That might mean virus particles breathed out by an infected person can linger in the air a long time.
At least two things might be done, maybe more. One is to have open windows or some other method in place to allow fresh air in and pull some of the inside air out. I tend to ride in a car alone so I can close the windows and run the AC, but if I ever need to ride with strangers I will insist on the windows being rolled down.
A second thing might be to wear a proper mask if the ride is short. But only if the ride is short. More on the mask later. I get that some will balk at a long ride in a hot car with the windows open or being a long time in a building with out the closed system AC running. Such things are survivable as that was the way I lived for several decades of my life. I was in my mid thirties when I got my first car with an AC. I was 62 when I got a house with central air.
Another thing I can do is to stay inside such closed space as briefly as I can. Not such a problem for me as a retired person who has the choice, but I can see how such might be a problem for others. If I ever needed to stay in such a place my next line of defense will be a good mask if I can find one. I am not certain but am fairly confident many of the masks I see people wear are fairly transparent to aerosol virus particles. A simple cloth bandana or single layer cloth mask might give some protection but I do not figure much protection. I hope the N-95 type masks will soon be available. I bought one of the Mission neck gator things a few days ago. After wearing it I now figure it is of little value.
I have more to say but will stop for now to see if this sort of discussion will be allowed. If we can further discuss such things more later then
