Key Takeaways
For the first time, researchers have measured the chances of transmitting an infectious disease such asSARS-CoV-2to another person at a range of distances and in various settings.
The study’s findings, which were published in the journalEnvironmental Science & Technology,could help people make safe choices for themselves and their loved ones as they await aCOVID-19 vaccination.
Providing Evidence for Social Distancing
Throughout the pandemic, the general advice has been to avoid crowded areas and stay six feet apart from people outside of your home or “bubble.”
However, the researchers behind the latest study have pointed out that there has not been much data to back up these recommendations. With their research, the authors have endeavored to provide numerical evidence for social distancing and other public health directives.
How Researchers Assessed Risk
The closer you are to another person, the greater your likelihood of potentially contracting or transmitting SARS-CoV-2 in the form of contaminated respiratory droplets.
A Mask You Can Make at Home Can Block 94% of Airborne Droplets
Tami Bond, PhD, a professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State University and lead author of the study, tells Verywell that “different spaces can be compared with ERBV numbers” and many people don’t realize “that you can use simple principles to compare spaces.”
How Does Confinement Affect Transmission Risk?
The team found that 10 to 15 minutes into a sufficiently distanced interaction, confinement—or being indoors—is the best predictor of ERBV for the two smallest sizes of droplets: those one micron in diameter (about the size of a SAR-CoV-2 droplet) and those 10 microns in diameter (about the size of pollen or dust particles).
If you plan on catching up with a friend for more than a quarter of an hour, you should take your conversation outside.
How Germs Are Transmitted—And How to Protect Yourself
Given these findings, would increasing social distance indoors from six feet to 12 feet make a difference?
“Within six feet, you are still in a person’s cloud,'” says Bond. “But even when the cloud dissipates, the particles are still there and remain confined in the room. That is true whether the other person is six feet, 12 feet, or 20 feet away from you.”
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Why Is Being Outdoors Safer Than Being Indoors?
The reason that rebreathing is less of a concern when you’re in a backyard instead of a kitchen has to do with the natural elements.
When you’re outdoors, forces such as the wind carry away some of the respiratory particles, which reduces the number available to be inhaled. When you’re inside, the lack of an outlet causes the particles to collect in ambient air.
The researchers’ data reveals the degree of the ERBV disparity.
In the simplest terms, Bond says that indoor spaces “allow particles to build up, outdoor spaces don’t.”
Can You Minimize Indoor Risk?
“What I personally would like to get to is the combination of contact tracing and built-environment characteristics so that one could identify ERBV at which transmission had never occurred,” Bond says. “If you did that, you could tell people which environments were safe, instead of having people be afraid of everything, as they were early in this pandemic.”
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What You Can Do In Your Personal Spaces
If you plan to filter, Bond says that “you should make sure you have a high-efficiency filter that removes one-micron particles—that is what the filter raters call ‘MERV 13’ or higher numbers.”
As to whether you should avoid public venues such as bars, restaurants, and department stores, Bond says that it depends.
“Crowding, like more people per square foot, is more risky,” she says. “Staying for longer times is more risky. Ventilation and open windows are less risky. High ceilings are less risky.”
If you adhere to these basic principles, it will significantly minimize rebreathing.
Do Crowds Cause COVID Outbreaks?
When possible, avoid indoor settings. If that’s not possible, make sure that you’re wearing a mask, following social distancing protocols, and situated in a low-traffic, well-aerated location.
What This Means For YouA new study has shown that when it comes to minimizing the spread of potentially infectious respiratory droplets, you’re safest being outdoors. However, if you have to be inside, there are things that you can do to make the space less hospitable to these droplets. Turning on fans, opening windows, and running the AC can all reduce transmission risk.
What This Means For You
A new study has shown that when it comes to minimizing the spread of potentially infectious respiratory droplets, you’re safest being outdoors. However, if you have to be inside, there are things that you can do to make the space less hospitable to these droplets. Turning on fans, opening windows, and running the AC can all reduce transmission risk.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bond T, Bosco-Lauth A, Farmer D, et al.Quantifying proximity, confinement, and interventions in disease outbreaks: a decision support framework for air-transported pathogens.Environ Sci Technol.2021:55(5):2890–2898. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c07721Manning A.Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified. Colorado State University News. February 26, 2021.
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bond T, Bosco-Lauth A, Farmer D, et al.Quantifying proximity, confinement, and interventions in disease outbreaks: a decision support framework for air-transported pathogens.Environ Sci Technol.2021:55(5):2890–2898. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c07721Manning A.Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified. Colorado State University News. February 26, 2021.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bond T, Bosco-Lauth A, Farmer D, et al.Quantifying proximity, confinement, and interventions in disease outbreaks: a decision support framework for air-transported pathogens.Environ Sci Technol.2021:55(5):2890–2898. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c07721Manning A.Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified. Colorado State University News. February 26, 2021.
Bond T, Bosco-Lauth A, Farmer D, et al.Quantifying proximity, confinement, and interventions in disease outbreaks: a decision support framework for air-transported pathogens.Environ Sci Technol.2021:55(5):2890–2898. doi:10.1021/acs.est.0c07721
Manning A.Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified. Colorado State University News. February 26, 2021.
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