Case frikkn closed - it's airborne

[Eddy Edson]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1382825519171833859

This will probably be a "WTF were they thinking??" point in the future - ie the resistance by expert committees in various places to the idea that COVID-19 transmission is mainly airborne and mainly by what everybody would have called aerosol transmission before "aerosol" vs "droplet" semantics became a big, dumb thing.

Failure to accept the swiftly growing evidence has had a real impact on policy and practice here - most of the little outbreaks we've had i9n Oz from quarantine hotel leakage can be traced back to these failures, at least in part.

 

[mikeyB]

Of course it is. That's why we wear masks in this country, and many others. Did you think they were just for decoration?
In breezy conditions, the chances of receiving a viral load sufficient to cause infection is minimal if social distancing is maintained and masks worn. That applies to catching the common cold, too.

 

[Kaylz]

I think Eddy is maybe thinking of the "wash this, that and the next thing" am I correct Eddy? xx

 

[Ljc]

Tbh I have always believed it was airborne .
All we can do is our best. I’ve worn masks and gloves when out since the beginning.

 

[nonethewiser]

Was it ever anything else.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Was it ever anything else.

The difference is between transmission via "droplets" or transmission via "aerosols".

Droplets = bits of gunk which fall to the ground quickly; to infect somebody else you basically have to be in their face.

Aeorosols = fine suspension of much smaller bits of gunk which float around for a long time, wafted by air currents; you get longer range transmission, and the contact doesn't need to be nearly so close or direct.

The official word in most jurisdictions has been that spread happens mainly by doplets (and maybe also surfaces), not via aeorosols.

This study brings together lots of lines of evidence showing that this view is very likely wrong. A thread from on of the authors:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1383566908797059078

It's important, because it effects eg what level of PPE workers in different setting should use. There's a big swell of anger here in Oz among some HCW and quarantine worker groups at the official policy setting body's rerfusal to recognise aerosols & its consequent deficient PPE policy settings. This has led to infections.

Because you still have so much community transmission in the UK, the precise mode of transmission hasn't I think become such an issue, yet. But it will. As the author says iun the thread linked above:

Why are most of the long-distance transmission cases being identified in the quarantine hotels in Australia & New Zealand? Because the lack of community cases makes it much more certain that transmission happened there. (Can't do in US) Plus there is video surveillance etc

 

[mikeyB]

But spread from aerosols or droplets is severely inhibited by mask wearing by the infected (who should be isolating) and by the potential infectee. So what’s the worry?

I would also suggest not coughing out of the window if you are confined in a hotel.

 

[Eddy Edson]

But spread from aerosols or droplets is severely inhibited by mask wearing by the infected (who should be isolating) and by the potential infectee. So what’s the worry?

I would also suggest not coughing out of the window if you are confined in a hotel.

This thread from a young frontline doctor sums up the position:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1383668544072601600

Officially, only intubation and some other major things are "aerosol generating procedures" (AGP). If not coming within 1.5m of a patient and there isn't an AGP happening, the HCW doesn't get PPE - because without the AGP, officially, COVID-19 only spreads via droplets and not beyond 1.5m.

Many, many HCW's say this is just wrong, supported by the Lancet study referenced in the original post. They say that the best evidence strongly supports routine COVID-19 spread via aerosols, which means they can waft around to distances much greater than 1.5m.

 

[Amity Island]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1382825519171833859

This will probably be a "WTF were they thinking??" point in the future - ie the resistance by expert committees in various places to the idea that COVID-19 transmission is mainly airborne and mainly by what everybody would have called aerosol transmission before "aerosol" vs "droplet" semantics became a big, dumb thing.

Failure to accept the swiftly growing evidence has had a real impact on policy and practice here - most of the little outbreaks we've had i9n Oz from quarantine hotel leakage can be traced back to these failures, at least in part.

Eddy,

Does this mean the cheap masks we're all wearing, are basically useless? They don't filter the air we breath.

It seems to be pointing at the need to wear N95 masks?

Thanks