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Is plexiglass actually effective in deterring COVID-19?

Question: Is plexiglass actually effective in deterring COVID-19? While it may protect against direct spray, isn’t one of the big issues virus traveling due to air circulation, which means that unless you’re quite literally encased in a box, you’re still facing exposure?

Answer: You’re right; in the context of last night’s debate, plexiglass probably did nothing. Where plexiglass comes in handy is for limiting droplet transmission in close quarters (like a pharmacist giving you your prescription). However, since the two people on stage were seated 12 feet apart, it’s unlikely that the plexiglass would have served as a barrier to droplet transmission — the droplets just wouldn’t have been propelled that far. So now what we’re talking about is whether plexiglass helps prevent airborne transmission. And in that case, plexiglass as used in last night’s debate was ineffective — it would not have stopped tiny droplets that float through the air. Mind you, to cause infection, these tiny droplets would have needed to accumulate, which is where ventilation comes into play. Indeed, the airborne transmission events we’ve observed have generally included the following factors: indoors, poorly ventilated, prolonged exposure (>15 minutes), and oftentimes loud (incl. people shouting/singing). If you want to read more, here are a few resources and articles you might find informative: