The extraordinary challenges COVID-19 has posed is due, to a large extent, to our inexperience and lack of data. In March (28th), the WHO claimed Covid-19 was not airborne. By July 239 scientists signed an open letter urging the US government and international bodies to recognize and educate the public on airborne spread of Covid-19 and that the widely accepted standard of six feet of social distance is not safe in a majority of situations. As the data continues to mount, most epidemiological and aerodynamic investigations point to Aerosols, not Droplets or Surfaces as being the primary mode of transmission. Some believe as much as 80%. Aerosols escape almost all traditional air cleansing devices and filters. Data shows that viral loaded aerosols can travel well over 20 ft. as well as “hang and stack” for hours in a room with low ventilation.

Jose-Luis Jimenez (Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: PDF, California Institute of Technology) breaks it down into plain speak as the following:

“By now, it is just so obvious that COVID-19 is mainly an aerosol transmitted disease, with minor fractions of surface and droplet transmission…

1. Aerosols (Airborne) transmission: An infected person exhales micro “balls” of saliva or respiratory fluid. These “aerosols” contain virus, and float in the air, like smoke (another aerosol). Infect by being inhaled. This is the dominant mode of Covid-19 transmission.

2. Droplets: larger balls of saliva or respiratory fluid. Fly through the air like cannonballs, infect by impact on eyes, inside of nostrils, lips or inside of mouth. Can infect if someone coughs or sneezes on your face. Otherwise not important, too scarce when only talking.

3. Fomites or “surfaces”: can infect if a person touches an infected surface (door handle, phone, someone’s hand) and then touches the inside of their own eyes, nostrils, or mouth.”