I agree that many things need to be studied. But, to dismiss aerosol transmission due to what is basically your disagreement over a size cut between droplets and aerosols is sending a mixed message to the public that hurts efforts to get proper controls in place to save lives.
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I haven't dismissed aerosol transmission, if you're talking about smaller droplets that are larger than 5 microns but can remain suspended in the air for longer periods of time. I agree that the terminology needs rethinking because of the very issue of sending mixed messages.
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I am an aerosol scientist. There is a continuum of sizes--and they are changing due to evaporation/condensation as they float in the air. When we talk about "aerosol transmission", we are talking about particles < 10 microns (and even larger ones that can shrink to this size).
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It is a misunderstanding of this continuum (even how scientists discuss it with each other) that has contributed to this problem of making aerosols vs inhaled droplets a false dichotomy, and the miscommunications that inevitably result. The terms/discussion needs to change.
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Replying to @angie_rasmussen @kprather88 and
I don't know any virologists who think inhaled smaller "droplets" (too big to be aerosols but much smaller than large droplets) aren't drivers of transmission. The epi evidence is pretty clear about that. There's less epidemiological evidence to support travel through air ducts.
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Replying to @angie_rasmussen @kprather88 and
I think this is where the epidemiological evidence really is important. If you view particle size purely from a theoretical perspective in a vacuum, it may seem likely that the virus should spread often through air ducts and the like But it doesn't, really
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Replying to @GidMK @angie_rasmussen and
We can theorise about how the virus might spread - and investigate the most minute of droplets/aerosols in the process - but ultimately if it doesn't match the actual evidence of transmission from contact tracing then I'm not convinced
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Replying to @GidMK @angie_rasmussen and
We have investigated the Skagit choir, 1 person gave it to 53 despite limited contact. Nearly impossible to explain except by aerosols. Similar for other superspreading events
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Replying to @jljcolorado @angie_rasmussen and
That's not true, actually. As both the CDC and WHO have pointed out, it is perfectly plausible that fomite and droplet spread could've caused that outbreak
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Replying to @GidMK @angie_rasmussen and
That is wrong. We have investigated in more detail from aerosol point of view. No realistic explanation otherwisehttps://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.15.20132027v1 …
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That paper appears to literally assume your conclusion
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Replying to @GidMK @angie_rasmussen and
Because there is no other good way to explain it. Sick person was in fixed positions in room singing, did not touch others. Fomites low likelihood per CDC. How can person spit enough droplets within 1 m if 53 people?
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Replying to @jljcolorado @GidMK and
"W.H.O. staff members have yet to accept the importance of these case studies and instead have “dreamed up an alternative story” in which an infected person spat on his hands, wiped it on something and “magically” infected numerous other people" https://nyti.ms/2W3eGlK
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