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Showing Original Post only (View all)New study on Covid: Surfaces vs Airborne [View all]
https://elemental.medium.com/amp/p/30430384e5a5?__twitter_impression=trueInstead of obsessing over objects and surfaces, scientists now say the biggest infection risk comes from inhaling what someone else is exhaling, whether its a tiny aerosol or a larger droplet. And while a virus traveling through the air sounds terrifying, the good news is there is a safe, cheap, and effective way to stop the spread: wearing a mask. Here are the three primary pathways of transmission, and what experts know about them six months in. It turns out that despite the catastrophic harm its caused, the novel coronavirus is actually quite fragile, and it doesnt like being out in the open where it can dry up. According to the NEJM paper, the viruss half-life is a relatively short six hours, meaning that every six hours 50% of the virus shrivels up and becomes inactive or noninfectious.
Aerosol transmission does increase the importance of one additional protective step, which is proper ventilation and air filtration. Airflow, either introducing new air into a room or filtering the existing air, can disperse and dilute any infectious aerosol particles, reducing a persons potential exposure. Being outdoors is the ultimate ventilation, and for months public health officials have recommended that people socialize outside rather than in. However, with winter and colder temperatures coming, indoor air filtration and adherence to masks will become even more important.
Armed with this knowledge, think about how you can make fall and winter safer, both physically and mentally. Instead of buying another can of Lysol, maybe invest in an air purifier, more comfortable two-ply cloth masks, or even an outdoor fire pit or space heater. Be prepared to meet friends outside in colder temperatures or insist upon masks, even in your home. Weve still got a long way to go before we can declare victory over the novel coronavirus, but at least we know more now than we did six months ago. And you dont have to sanitize your apples anymore.
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Not that easy when there's a severe shortage of qualified workers in the HVAC field
Kaleva
Sep 2020
#11
this is a generalized assessment again. we can STILL get it from contact through groceries or
certainot
Sep 2020
#10
i was leaving a lliquor store in college town and saw 6 20 somethings get out of SUV and
certainot
Sep 2020
#26
Well, I feel a little better about the "street patios" popping up all over the place now.
Grokenstein
Sep 2020
#16