Interesting research about COVID-19 in the air.
The gist of this research is that the worse the ventilation the more likely the virus will transmit from one person to another. The study shows that well-ventilated indoor spaces are a fairly low risk, while places known for little no or little ventilation show substantial risk. Being outside obviously is well-ventilated space--even being outside in groups is a low risk situation. This data comports with the MIT study showing that subways and mass transit was a mirror cause for COVID exploding in NYC. Other places that didn't depend on crowded transit, not so much.
Going forward in the near term, we ought to see flourishing outdoor seating in restaurants and things like church and other normal indoor activities happening outside. I don't know what this means for spectator sports outside of domes. Longer term, maybe we should see changes to building codes to require better ventilation in all buildings open to the public which of course could mean the HVAC industry will play a larger role.
The gist of this research is that the worse the ventilation the more likely the virus will transmit from one person to another. The study shows that well-ventilated indoor spaces are a fairly low risk, while places known for little no or little ventilation show substantial risk. Being outside obviously is well-ventilated space--even being outside in groups is a low risk situation. This data comports with the MIT study showing that subways and mass transit was a mirror cause for COVID exploding in NYC. Other places that didn't depend on crowded transit, not so much.
Going forward in the near term, we ought to see flourishing outdoor seating in restaurants and things like church and other normal indoor activities happening outside. I don't know what this means for spectator sports outside of domes. Longer term, maybe we should see changes to building codes to require better ventilation in all buildings open to the public which of course could mean the HVAC industry will play a larger role.
The new coronavirus appears to linger in the air in crowded spaces or rooms that lack ventilation, researchers found in a study that buttresses the notion that Covid-19 can spread through tiny airborne particles known as aerosols.
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People produce two types of droplets when they breathe, cough or talk. Larger ones drop to the ground before they evaporate, causing contamination mostly via the objects on which they settle. Smaller ones -- those that make up aerosols -- can hang in the air for hours.
The researchers, led by Ke Lan of Wuhan University, set up so-called aerosol traps in and around two hospitals in the city that was home to the pandemic’s first steps.
They found few aerosols in patient wards, supermarkets and residential buildings. Many more were detected in toilets and two areas that had large crowds passing through, including an indoor space near one of the hospitals.
Side note from the COVID-19 paranoia front: I'm seeing more cyclists wearing masks but not helmets. WTF man?* * * * * *
People produce two types of droplets when they breathe, cough or talk. Larger ones drop to the ground before they evaporate, causing contamination mostly via the objects on which they settle. Smaller ones -- those that make up aerosols -- can hang in the air for hours.
The researchers, led by Ke Lan of Wuhan University, set up so-called aerosol traps in and around two hospitals in the city that was home to the pandemic’s first steps.
They found few aerosols in patient wards, supermarkets and residential buildings. Many more were detected in toilets and two areas that had large crowds passing through, including an indoor space near one of the hospitals.
