{"id":537,"date":"2020-05-12T13:37:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T17:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/covidqanda.org\/?p=537"},"modified":"2020-11-18T15:44:27","modified_gmt":"2020-11-18T20:44:27","slug":"do-people-need-to-fear-getting-the-virus-from-the-runner-who-just-ran-by-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/covidqanda.org\/?p=537","title":{"rendered":"Do people need to fear getting the virus from the runner who just ran by them?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Question:<\/strong> My Facebook feed is littered with people admonishing others for running outside and I think it\u2019s gone a bit too far. Can you please do a Q&A on whether people need to fear getting the virus from that runner who just ran past them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answer:<\/strong> This is a perfect example of why we need better and widespread health communication about the coronavirus. There\u2019s so much information for folks to sift through, including disinformation, and there\u2019s no one CDC resource or the like that describes the risks of transmission under various scenarios. The best thing I\u2019ve read on risk is this blog post from Professor Bromage<\/a> that he published a few days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Bromage reminds us that \u201cSuccessful Infection = Exposure to Virus x Time.\u201d He writes (among other valuable takeaways) that \u201cSocial distancing rules are really to protect you with brief exposures or outdoor exposures. In these situations there is not enough time to achieve the infectious viral load when you are standing 6 feet apart or where wind and the infinite outdoor space for viral dilution reduces viral load. The effects of sunlight, heat, and humidity on viral survival, all serve to minimize the risk to everyone when outside.\u201d Please take a read through if you haven\u2019t had the chance yet. It will become all the clearer that running outside as an individual is a very low risk activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As pathologist, Dr. Kasten, recently described it<\/a>, \u201c[Consider the difference in the risk between taking a stroll through the park or a climb up a steep cliff face] sure, you could slip, fall, strike your head, and die on that path in the park. Likewise, you could free-solo successfully to the top of El Capitan. But most of us would accept the risk of the stroll and not accept [the risk of] dangling from the cliff. Breathing in someone\u2019s sneeze cloud, close by, without a mask \u2014 that\u2019s the cliff face. Jogging several feet away, or getting the mail \u2014 that\u2019s the park.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now here\u2019s a bit more information about some of the studies showing risk of indoor vs. outdoor activity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. A study of transmission dynamics in a restaurant in China<\/a> showed that \u201cdroplet transmission was prompted by air-conditioned ventilation.\u201d Indoor conditions and air ventilation matters a lot when it comes to viral transmission risk.<\/li>
  2. Two pre-print (not yet peer reviewed) studies released last month showed that the preponderance of transmission occurs indoors.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n