Has it been established that coronavirus is an airborne (vs. droplet) transmitted illness? That would not be good.
What is transmission by droplet contact?
Some diseases can be transferred by infected droplets contacting surfaces of the eye, nose, or mouth. This is referred to as droplet contact transmission. Droplets are too large to be airborne for long periods of time, and quickly settle out of air.
Note: You donāt have to have face to face contact or even be in the same room at the same time as the infected person in order to inhale airborne particles. Airborne particles are capable of surviving for long periods of time outside the body and are resistant to drying.
Any disease that is deadly AND spread via the airborne route (vs droplet spread) is very scary indeed.
I donāt think the coronavirus is known to be airborne. Coronavirus is usually spread by droplets. However, airborne precautions are being used for cases, which is entirely reasonable until more is known. Although some publications are reporting it as airborne, I think thatās a misinterpretation. CDC isnāt saying that.
Itās likely both, because people are advised to wear face masks (to protect against airborne viruses) and gloves (to protect against touching droplets on surfaces).
From what I understand, droplets that arenāt technically airborne can still be propelled into the air by coughing or sneezing. This can cause transmission of a non-airborne disease in close quarters.
āItās likely both, because people are advised to wear face masks (to protect against airborne viruses) and gloves (to protect against touching droplets on surfaces).ā
NO. It is all about particle size. Masks - the ones you see worn in public - do NOT protect against airborne stuff. They do protect from larger particles like droplets of saliva.
Think of it as a vacuum cleaner: unless you have a HEPA filter, the microdust it picks up will be blown back in the air. The larger things like cat hair etc. will be trapped in a non-HEPA bag.
^Iām no expert, but it has been reported that the airborne virus has a diameter of 0.12-0.13 micron. A N95 mask is rated to filter 95% of particles 0.3 micron or larger, but it still provides some (perhaps even effective?) protection against smaller particles.
CDC is advising clinicians to take airborne precautions. Maybe it is a lack of certainty.
Hey, a mask certainly canāt hurt but other precautions like frequent and thorough hand washing and not touching face are reportedly the best precautions.
^Yes, I asked the supervisor of my dadās caregivers to remind them to wash their hands constantly. He wouldnāt survive getting even a bad cold at this point, Iām afraid.
Our student is scheduled to leave in a week for a semester in Taiwan. Based on current CDC and State Dept travel warnings, the collegeās current position is that travel should proceed as planned. But the geographical proximity to the mainland, 8 cases in Taiwan so far and the fact that China has prevented Taiwan from WHO membership has me very concerned. Especially if things worsen after departureā¦ trying to make a rational decision with our student āto go or cancel. Info presented on this thread has been helpful but sobering.
Yes, droplets can be propelled into the air by a sneeze or cough, and you could breathe them in through your nose and mouth. Thatās NOT THE SAME as an āairborne virus.ā Those big heavy wet droplets fall to the ground or onto surfaces pretty quickly-they donāt hang out in the air to infect anyone who comes into the room in the next few hours.
Airborne viruses DO hang out for a long time. They donāt dry out like droplets do.
I know itās confusing, but these are important distinctions.
Probably something we should all be more cognizant of and retrain ourselves not to do as much, especially as we age and are more susceptible and more at risk for more serious complications. I definitely know I donāt bounce back from things as quickly as I used to.
It would be a no from me in sending our D to Asia now.
We made a similar decision when she was younger and had the opportunity to go to west Africa on a summer mission trip. They were having a āsmallā ebola outbreak and there was a travel warning from the US state department.
