[vivek95]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

WHO acknowledges that Covid-19 is airborne. - Link

Infact way back in April itself I had read an article in which Chinese docs and scientists had claimed that virus lingered around in air in the hospitals of Wuhan.

https://gulfnews.com/world/americas/...als-1.71235289

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

WHO acknowledges that Covid-19 is airborne.

Originally Posted by vivek95

... lingered around in air ...

Can you clarify this for me, please? We knew from early on that the virus was transmitted through air; then that whilst droplets fell to earth quite quickly, aerosols would travel further and hang around longer. What are we being told now? That this virus will hang around in the air for an extended period of time?

[wheelguy]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can you clarify this for me, please? We knew from early on that the virus was transmitted through air; then that whilst droplets fell to earth quite quickly, aerosols would travel further and hang around longer. What are we being told now? That this virus will hang around in the air for an extended period of time?

Nothing new actually, just that they(WHO) are now urged to use/add the word airborne to the modes of transmission list and update the guidelines accordingly.

[Chetan_Rao]

The 'airborne' bit isn't new, but news media does a great job of removing context for sensationalism.

WHO has 'acknowledged' that there's 'emerging evidence' the virus can stay airborne in 'certain conditions' like congested, badly ventilated enclosed spaces, but it needs further investigation. Evidence is not proof by default, but it's good that this avenue is now seeing more vigorous investigation.

But the nuance is lost on the gen-pop who'll see media houses peddling 'it's airborne, get in your bunkers!' like you'll catch it walking by yourself in the street.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by wheelguy

WHO acknowledges that Covid-19 is airborne. - Link

For me, the whole episode is caught in the definitions. Airborne means virus thrives in the air for a long time and can travel a long distance, implying lighter particles. In contrast, respiratory droplets are heavy and they settle down to the ground. They can't live long in the air and can't travel long distances.
Since 'long' is subjective, you can pick your definition .

In another news - Pizza boy tests +ve, 72 families quarantined. Here goes the online delivery business. People will be more cautious about ordering online.

This was in April. What came of it, did any of those 72 families test positive?

Note: Found this answer:

"All 16 high-risk contacts of pizza delivery boy have tested negative. They are colleagues of the pizza delivery agent who was infected with coronavirus recently,” south Delhi District Magistrate B M Mishra said.

Mishra said the district administration has not conducted COVID-19 test on members of 72 families as they have not shown any symptoms of the infection so far.

Link: https://www.outlookindia.com/website...egative/351120

[srishiva]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can you clarify this for me, please? We knew from early on that the virus was transmitted through air; then that whilst droplets fell to earth quite quickly, aerosols would travel further and hang around longer. What are we being told now? That this virus will hang around in the air for an extended period of time?

Shouldn't this be as per physics and nothing to do with virus? Ofcourse the length of time virus will be alive is specifict to this

Now Bolsonaro is showing that he is taking hydroxychloroquine

[wheelguy]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

But the nuance is lost on the gen-pop who'll see media houses peddling 'it's airborne, get in your bunkers!' like you'll catch it walking by yourself in the street.

Exactly, that's the reason WHO is refusing to use the word 'airborne', to avoid panic in the public, but now seems like they are being forced to use it.

[Gansan]

^^ Many people who saw it on TV and papers, are thinking the windows should be kept closed at all times.

[proton]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Can you clarify this for me, please? We knew from early on that the virus was transmitted through air; then that whilst droplets fell to earth quite quickly, aerosols would travel further and hang around longer. What are we being told now? That this virus will hang around in the air for an extended period of time?

A useful way to think about it is that originally, only droplets were thought to infect. Coughing and sneezing would create these droplets and it was thought you could be safe near a person as long as he did not cough or sneeze. However, one could never tell when these actions would take place, so a distance of 6 feet was maintained as a precaution against such unexpected action.

Now there is evidence that the virus can be shed by mere breathing out, in the fine mist so created. This action can be seen when you hold a mirror near the air breathed out: it forms a condensation. Vigorous expulsion of air from shouting or singing exacerbates the situation, demonstrated by the frequent reports of infections at places where choirs have been practicising!

You can conclude from this that infection is possible where the environment is charged with the virus, especially in closed spaces where ventilation does not disperse that charge. Masks which were not required initially are now required, with the added information that not only do they prevent infected people from sneezing and coughing out virus, but also breathing it out. So masks with valves that filter incoming air but let out unfiltered air are dangerous and should be discarded because infected people are not prevented from infecting others.

The expert I read says that even today transmission of the virus is not fully understood. Don’t be surprised if it is announced tomorrow that there is feco-oral transmission occurring too.

https://techenclave.com/community/th...7/post-2204306

Also the parallel thread makes very frightening reading.

[ABHI_1512]

Recently in our locality, a reasonably healthy guy died of covid related symptoms and was found to be positive. But surprisingly, his entire family after the quarantine period has been found Covid negative even after repeated testing.

Now, WHO of all agencies is saying that the virus can be taken as airborne and appropriate precautions should be taken as such. Now if I believe what WHO is saying then it baffles me that a person who was covid positive and living with a family of five, inhaling and exhaling the same air day in and day out would die but the same family members were found covid negative even after the quarantine period.

Experts can come up with many theories and they have indeed but sorry to say- it’s still a blind shot and no foolproof theory has been found yet. Of course, the research continues and as I go in with taking the basic precautions even while visiting the hospitals or markets or for that matter an ATM without the related paranoia !!

[proton]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Now, WHO of all agencies is saying that the virus can be taken as airborne and appropriate precautions should be taken as such. Now if I believe what WHO is saying then it baffles me that a person who was covid positive and living with a family of five, inhaling and exhaling the same air day in and day out would die but the same family members were found covid negative even after the quarantine period.

Well, it's more nuanced than just being infected. Asymptomatic patients are more infectious in the early stages:

Quote
Asymptomatic coronavirus patients could shed the virus for longer than those with symptoms, according to a new study in southwest China.
“The emergence of these silent spreaders … has caused difficulties in the control of the epidemic,” the researchers led by Huang Ailong, from Chongqing Medical University, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper in Nature Medicine on Thursday.
Huang’s team found that the median duration of viral shedding among the 37 asymptomatic patients in the Chongqing study was 19 days – a third longer than the patients with mild symptoms.
In one case, an asymptomatic patient shed the virus for 45 days.
Viral shedding refers to its release in the environment – including in the air and on surfaces. But Huang said it did not necessarily lead to infection of others, and that more research was needed to find out if the coronavirus could replicate in human cells.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/soci...-longer-others

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by proton

Well, it's more nuanced than just being infected. Asymptomatic patients are more infectious in the early stages:

Well, the family have been tested more than four times over a period of 35 days, so may be the last ten days will determine the theory of 45 days ! The thing is, the family is still in quarantine and no virus spread has been there in the locality as such since the death. So there..

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

....Now, WHO of all agencies is saying that the virus can be taken as airborne...

That's where media sensationalism comes in, and also why context is CRITICAL in reporting.

WHO has NOT said anything beyond acknowledging the possibility, and the virus' capability of being airborne in 'certain conditions' has been suspected since April at the very least, and now there appears to be enough evidence to investigate empirically. Here'e the relevant quote from the briefing as reported in various news media (Economic Times article for reference):

"...The possibility of airborne transmission in public settings - especially in very specific conditions, crowded, closed, poorly ventilated settings that have been described, cannot be ruled out," she said.

"However, the evidence needs to be gathered and interpreted, and we continue to support this."

Saying 'We acknowledge there's evidence needing further investigation' is NOT the same as saying 'We agree with the findings and it's conclusive'.

It may or may not turn out to be true, yet to be determined, but news and social media seem to have made up their minds, given the flood of panic-inducing messages I've seen all day.

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

That's where media sensationalism comes in, and also why context is CRITICAL in reporting.

WHO has NOT said anything beyond acknowledging the possibility, and the virus' capability of being airborne in 'certain conditions' has been suspected since April at the very least, and now there appears to be enough evidence to investigate empirically.

Absolutely with you on the role of the media, I have anyways stopped watching news long back. The dog whistling waste that is fed in the minds of the gullible day in and day out is the reason of the paranoia and panic surrounding the virus.

Shifting goalposts has become the norm and I find it sad that even after so many flip flops regarding the virus, people still have to endure the pains and no one is bothered!

[proton]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

Well, the family have been tested more than four times over a period of 35 days, so may be the last ten days will determine the theory of 45 days ! The thing is, the family is still in quarantine and no virus spread has been there in the locality as such since the death. So there..

Also, factor in the condition that children don't get infected easily, suggesting some adults also are resistant. My wife has fluent ghoti bong, should I get a comprehensive list of situations, enumerating the pros and cons?