When a virus causes a pandemic and a worldwide outbreak, information that’s less than true is bound to be circulated.
This is especially so when around 1/3 of the world’s population is on lockdown, cause what else is there to do other than Netflix & Chill?
But what if the ‘fact’ being disputed is research done by a reputable source?
Reports of Coronavirus Being Able to Travel 8m is ‘Misleading’: Top Infectious Disease Expert
A top infectious disease expert has come forward to clarify that a recently published research that suggests that the coronavirus can travel 27 feet and linger airborne for hours is “terribly misleading“.
If that were true, I’d be hiding out in my bomb shelter.
“I’m sorry, but I was disturbed by that report because that’s misleading,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said regarding MIT associate professor Lydia Bourouiba’s research.
Lest you’re unaware, Dr Anthony Fauci is a member of the White House task force, so his opinion should be pretty solid.
Misleading Research
Bourouiba’s research on the dynamics of coughs and sneezes was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and warns the public that current social-distancing guidelines to stay 6 feet apart are inadequate and outdated.
Bourouiba writes that “pathogen-bearing droplets of all sizes can travel 23 to 27 feet.”
However, Fauci pointed out during a Tuesday White House press briefing that it would take a “very, very robust, vigorous, achoo sneeze” for droplets to even come close to travelling such a distance.
P.S. Here’s a gentle reminder to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze.
The doctor even pretended to sneeze a forceful sneeze on stage to exemplify what it would take to propel the droplets that far.
“So if you go way back and go, achoo,” said Fauci as he leaned back, then moved forward, “and go like that, you might get 27 feet.”
“That’s not practical. That is not practical.”
Bourouiba is afraid that the current guidelines are “overly simplified” and “may limit the effectiveness of the proposed interventions” against the highly contagious coronavirus.