The title while technically correct stokes fear more than anything else. The article goes into depth on how “airborne” is not terribly different than what we know now about aerosols hanging in the air. Most people will read the title and react at too large of a scale, while the only real insight should be that in crowded indoor places with poor ventilation (offices, restaurants), you may be able to get infected even when socially distancing.
That is much more reasonable and solvable. Airborne is a overused Hollywood term that makes most people think it floats on the wind and infects you anywhere, anytime.
Some microbes really do float in the wind like that. But apparently viruses tend to get destroyed by sunlight or desiccated fairly easily. Bacteria are more complex, and become world travellers.
That is much more reasonable and solvable. Airborne is a overused Hollywood term that makes most people think it floats on the wind and infects you anywhere, anytime.
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