Coronavirus Can Spread In The Air 'Beyond Any Reasonable Doubt,' Over 200 Scientists Tell The World

[appalachiablue]

Source: Associated Press

(3 hrs ago). LONDON (AP) -- More than 200 scientists have called for the World Health Organization and others to acknowledge that the coronavirus can spread in the air -- a change that could alter some of the current measures being taken to stop the pandemic. In a letter published this week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, two scientists from Australia and the U.S. wrote that studies have shown "beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air."

That means people in certain indoor conditions could be at greater risk of being infected than was previously thought. The WHO has long maintained that COVID-19 is spread via larger respiratory droplets, most often when people cough or sneeze, that fall to the ground. It has dismissed the possibility of airborne transmission, except for certain high-risk medical procedures, like when patients are first put on breathing machines.

In a statement on Monday, the U.N. health agency said it was aware of the article and was reviewing it with technical experts. WHO has been criticized in recent weeks and months for its seeming divergence from the scientific community. The organization for months declined to recommend mask-wearing, partly out of supply concerns and has also continued to describe the transmission of COVID-19 from people without symptoms as "rare."

The letter was endorsed by 239 scientists from a variety of fields. It stated that the issue of whether or not COVID-19 was airborne was of "heightened significance" as many countries stop restrictive lockdown measures. The authors cited previous studies suggesting that germs closely related to the new virus were spread via airborne transmission. They said "there is every reason to expect" that the coronavirus behaves similarly...

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/coronavirus-can-spread-in-the-air-beyond-any-reasonable-doubt-over-200-scientists-tell-the-world-health-organization/ar-BB16oZvt

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*FULL TITLE: "Coronavirus can spread in the air 'beyond any reasonable doubt,' over 200 scientists tell the World Health Organization."

- Also: "239 Scientists: Health Experts Must Focus On Aerosols, Potential Airborne Coronavirus Transmission," CNN, July 6, 2020. https://democraticunderground.com/1016261136

[RussBLib]

1. and the remedy is still masks and social distancing?

The article says we need new interventions to stop the transmission of airborne virus. It would be handy to have a clue what those new interventions might be. All they mention is masks and social distancing, including indoors.

This virus is one mo-fo. It seems to have mutated a bit, but we still seem to be close to Square One when it comes to figuring it out.

[appalachiablue]

2. In the DU link I posted in the box above, scientists make more suggestions:

https://democraticunderground.com/1016261136

CNN,.. "Advice to avoid coronavirus transmission: "I am very much concerned about the general public and schools and ventilation in school buildings and in dorms on college campuses and in bars and in churches and where people sing and where people congregate," he said.

The group gives practical advice in its letter:

* Provide sufficient and effective ventilation (supply clean outdoor air, minimize recirculating air) particularly in public buildings, workplace environments, schools, hospitals and age care homes. * Supplement general ventilation with airborne infection controls such as local exhaust, high efficiency air filtration, and germicidal ultraviolet lights. (These would be placed high up in the ceiling to avoid damage to people's eyes and skin) * Avoid overcrowding, particularly in public transport and public buildings. "For example, simple steps such as opening both doors and windows can dramatically increase air flow rates in many buildings."...

More, https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/coronavirus-can-float-in-air-and-who-and-cdc-should-tell-people-that-experts-say/ar-BB16on6e?ocid=spartan-dhp-feeds

- Related: "Scientists Say WHO Ignores The Risk That Coronavirus Floats In Air As Aerosol," Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2020. https://democraticunderground.com/1016260983

[Fiendish Thingy]

6. Absolutely yes! Masks reduce or block the release of droplets from the nose and mouth

Just heard our local BC chief medical officer talking about this, and the use of the term “airborne”, which some are confusing with the term “aerosol” which is another thing entirely, and which COVID is NOT.

Yes, people expel droplets when they breathe, talk, sing, cheer, etc., and those droplets can remain suspended for a time, most notably indoors in environments with poor or closed ventilation systems, such as offices.

Outside, however, this is not as big a risk, as far as taking a walk outside and walking through a cloud of someone’s droplets who had been in that spot a few minutes ago- it’s highly unlikely one would get the virus that way. Droplets are unlikely to remain suspended outside for long.

Of course, being in close, extended contact with numerous people at a crowded beach or campground is definitely high risk.

[FBaggins]

3. This still goes against the overwhelming consensus in the field

There are many thousands of medical specialists around the world studying the virus... it isn't just a couple bureaucrats at the WHO or CDC.

.It's also worth noting that while "239 scientists!" sounds impressive... the overwhelming majority of the authors and reviewers listed are not in fields that lend much credibility to their judgment in the title. I'm a fan of mechanical, architectural, and civil engineers... but I don't give their opinion much weight in epidemiology. I would really prefer a paper with more epidemiologists than HVAC specialists.

[LisaL]

4. What overwhelming consensus in the field?

[FBaggins]

7. That the virus is primarily a respiratory disease transmitted through droplets and on surfaces

Most think that some small level of airborne transmission may be possible - but as only a small fraction (with no clearly identified examples) of the total spread.

[appalachiablue]

5. Well when and where is the conclusive research

done by medical experts around the world that you prefer? Instead of 'HVAC specialists,' the ones who do the work but don't decide the need for new systems and treatments esp. on the epic scale of this pandemic. *Sniff* engineers and such..

[FBaggins]

8. There is little "conclusive" about a brand new virus

Well when and where is the conclusive research done by medical experts around the world that you prefer?

Funny you should ask... because the letter mentioned in the OP is not itself "research" (let alone "conclusive" ). Yet you chose to post and defend it.

The title claims airborne spread "beyond reasonable doubt" - but all they actually found beyond such doubt was what the early studies showed (that identifiable virus particles could be found but not in amounts that were clearly infectious). The letter itself admits that their evidence was "admittedly incomplete" and defends it only with the claim that contrary evidence is also incomplete and the precautionary principle should apply (coincidentally recommending the expenditure of many billions of dollars on the specialties of dozens of their contributors/reviewers).

[appalachiablue]

9. What exactly is 'most think' based on? You can provide information I'm sure.

>" Most think that some small level of airborne transmission may be possible - but as only a small fraction (with no clearly identified examples) of the total spread."

[Pobeka]

10. I wish their letter emphasized wearing of masks too.

I read both the MSN and the PDF of the actual letter.

Given the infectiousness of COVID19, and following the precautionary principle (which they state in the PDF), what they are saying makes sense.

In the MSN article Donald Milton emphasizes a mask to stop (*most* -- my interpretation) aerosols at the source is very important.

In the PDF, they don't mention masks, but assume the aerosols are already in the air, and the additional measures lesson the risk of infection.

Many, many places around the world are having trouble getting the R0 below 1.0, so if your R0 is 1.05, and with these additional measures you can get it down to 0.95, that is critical. The authors do not claim to know how much lower the R0 would be with the additional measures, that 1.05 -> 0.95 is my contrived example, but until we get a vaccine, NPI's are all we have to work with, every little bit helps.

[greenjar_01]

11. Tell me something I didn't know when I woke up this morning