At last, the scientists studying the spread of the Coronavirus around the world have seemingly reached a consensus on how it spreads most easily. As pressure mounts in certain quarters to “open up” and “get back to work,” we must take their findings into account at every turn.
- Covid 19 mostly spreads through sharing air in interior spaces over extended time. In other words, it makes no sense to hold a business meeting in a conference room, to dine inside a crowded restaurant, to work on a laptop at Starbucks, to stage a family gathering in a living room or church function room, or to pray and sing together in person. Indeed, we run risks whenever we spend extended interior time with those not belonging to our home group.
- Sneezing spreads more germs than coughing, and yelling and singing more than speaking. These activities also spread the virus farther afield.
- Shoppers at stores and supermarkets face a low risk of infection if they practice social distancing, wear their protective gear, and do their business quickly. The employees, however, who spend hours breathing together, face greater danger.
- The virus spreads much less efficiently through touch, but it still makes sense to wash frequently, not to touch your face, and so forth.
- Pedestrians and bicyclists face very low danger as long as they keep their distance and wear masks when near others.
- Outside activities can be dangerous when people gather in crowds on streets or beaches or parks: the “Mardi Gras Effect.” Sun and wind won’t help enough if you don’t keep your distance from others and wear masks.
- A relatively low number of people are unintentionally responsible for wide swaths of infection: the “Prairie Fire or Typhoid Mary Syndrome.” When people without symptoms or unaware they are infected circulate widely and congregate in groups, that single spark can lead to a particularly ferocious infection in those who catch it.
- Even as the rate of infection and death from Covid 19 plateaus or dips, seniors and the immuno-compromised should behave prudently.
- Covid 19 will be with us for many months to come, which requires patience and wisdom on all our parts. Until we have effective vaccines as well as medication for those infected, our health remains at risk.
Coughing spreads more germs than sneezing? How does that work.
Why is Village 14 publishing scientific/medical advice without citations?
Thanks Bob. It’s simple.
1. Wear a mask in public
2. Social distance
3. Wash hands frequently
4. Plan your visits to markets and other stores by preparing a full list in advance, taking advantage of off peak hours, and by getting in and out as soon as possible.
5. Order curbside pickup at any of Newton’s many fine restaurants. A lot of people don’t think it’s a safe option, but it really is. Many Newton restaurants are in danger of not making it. They need more people participating. We’ve found the food and service to be outstanding
Sneezing more than coughing- I will correct that. The sources were Commonwealth Magazine, the Globe, and NPR, but if people find this summary unhelpful, I will pull it.
Sorry Bob J., I didn’t know it was a typo – I thought someone was honestly claiming that. I get almost all of my news from six sources (the Globe, NYT, WSJ, WaPo, LA Times, and the Guardian), which at the end of the day isn’t all that diversified, so I’ve noticed that I do end up missing a lot of stuff especially compared to the assortment of stories that I might be exposed to if I visited news aggregators or social media feeds. For example I hadn’t heard about the CDC guidance on surfaces, which you touched on above (no pun intended), so I’m looking forward to learning more about that. The post is definitely helpful, please don’t pull it.
By coincidence, I just got an email from the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, which is wrestling with the issue of when to return to joint prayer and so forth. Here is an excerpt from their communique:
“Congregations, as a rule, are proceeding with caution, and not rushing to open and resume full scale in person operation. Though we struggle with “Zoom fatigue,” and yearn for direct eye contact, physical proximity, and the chance to celebrate and mourn together as a collective, our overriding imperative is preservation of life, health, and safety. This ethic is explicit in the Talmud, Tractate Yoma; “Nothing stands in the way of Pikuach Nefesh, saving a life…” [There are a few noted exceptions not relevant to the present conversation].”
The Council will hold a workshop on May 26 to address the issue of how and when to open up services, funerals, and all communal activities; check their website to learn more.
The Post actually did a story yesterday about CDC’s guidance on surfaces –
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/21/virus-does-not-spread-easily-contaminated-surfaces-or-animals-revised-cdc-website-states/
Great summary Bob. If we can get the important things right, protect each other with our own masks, and avoid the super-spreader events, we can start turning the dial quite a bit towards normal.