What to worry about, what not to worry about re: Covid-19

[HikerBiker]

There have been many postings about Covid-19, but this is the best article I have read about understanding how the virus spreads and what situations are the riskiest, and conversely, those that are the least risky.

erinbromage.com/post/the-ri...

[country76]

Great article. I would like to mention most public toilets don't have a toilet top. Also the choir is very interesting since part of the opening will eventually be churches.

[HikerBiker in reply to country76]

Re: choirs, I sing in a men's chorus. Most of our members are retired and the average age is around 72. Sadly we're figuring we won't be able to rehearse until there's a vaccine.

[country76 in reply to HikerBiker]

That is too bad, life as we have enjoyed it will change forever. I am thinking of not going to church until covid is gone, if that ever happens.

I make the coffee and put out the cookies every Sunday.

[Stretch1]

Thanks for the article - very detailed but very useful information

[Analeese]

I found this article to be very informative and easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.

[Ghounds]

Thank you for sharing. I was always taught never to flush a lavatory without closing the lid as the whole bathroom and everything in it becomes contaminated with bacteria.

[PaulaS Volunteer]

I found this article extremely helpful. It explains things well, and brings out the differences in risks between different situations.

Thanks HikerBiker

[Newdawn Administrator]

Excellent article and I found this part particularly useful because many of us are afraid of virus risk on much needed walks in the fresh air;

‘If I am outside, and I walk past someone, remember it is “dose and time” needed for infection. You would have to be in their airstream for 5+ minutes for a chance of infection. While joggers may be releasing more virus due to deep breathing, remember the exposure time is also less due to their speed. Please do maintain physical distance, but the risk of infection in these scenarios are low. Here is a great article in Vox that discusses the low risk of running and cycling in detail.’

The infectious power of this virus is truly scary though and I fear for the people who are having to return to work in congested areas on congested public transport! It scares me how some politicians are underestimating the risk levels involved.

Newdawn

[EugeneL2]

Thank you for sharing. Great article forwarded to everyone in my circle.

[Fran57]

Great article.

Thanks, Fran 😉

[Lilsa]

Thanks HikerBiker, (love your name)

This article was very helpful and it explained some things that had been puzzling me.

1)The reason why sustained contact with someone infected is required.

ie you can build up the required 1000 virus particles 100 particles at a time= 10 breaths if talking face to face.

2) The meat works clusters - everyone close together, shouting over machinery and in a cool, closed environment

3) The speed and force virus bearing droplets fly across the room from a sneeze or cough!

Many thanks

[Aklambert]

An interesting and enlightening article. I'm trying to understand the effect building services engineers can have as people return to work. The range of ventilation systems in modern buildings are significant, and should, in my opinion, have a bearing on how densely populated the work force can be, once social distancing is applied. Volume, people, and airflow (type), as the author states, are important factors. I have long believed that outdoor spaces are relatively safe areas, but, not indoors. That is why I have forked out for a high efficiency ventilator, rather than a mask. As the article states, large droplets (greater than 10 micron) fall to the floor within 2 metres - hence social distancing. Smaller particles (less than 5 microns) can stay airborne for hours (REHVE - Euro building services that the UK are signed up to) and these are the ones that are yet to be fully understood.

[HikerBiker in reply to Aklambert]

Hi,

I agree with you - building service engineers COULD be important players in shaping workplace safety, but I fear that many companies will overlook this and concentrate solely on spacing of/barriers between desks and availability of Purell and simple masks. I wonder how many executives have seen this type of information - and of course, there is a cost consideration to bringing in a building service engineer.