Much has been recently published regarding airborne transmission of COVID-19. It is known that aerosolization happens with talking and even with breathing, not to mention singing, yelling, coughing and sneezing. The smallest particles can hang out in the air in an indoor space for hours. Various estimations are from four to 12 hours. Apparently in dry air, the virus particles last longer such as would be found in air-conditioned spaces. One infected individual, symptomatic or not, can infect a surprisingly large space in a relatively short time, and the smaller the space the higher the concentration of virus particles that would remain in the air. One case was reported where one infected person took an elevator and the next 71 individuals that used that elevator contracted COVID-19, based upon case contact tracing.
Ventilation with fresh air or air filtration with high-grade virus-catching filters are the protective measures needed to deal with potential indoor airborne transmission. Ultraviolet light systems in air-conditioning air-handling devices are said to provide additional protection when air is recycled. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing what degree of protection is provided in the air-conditioning system of any store or restaurant.
The severity of infection is now felt to be related to the extent of exposure; that is, the number of viral particles that get into your nose, lungs or eyes. Short forays into a store wearing a mask should be of minimal risk. The larger the air space in the store and the earlier in the day one enters a store should pose a lesser risk. Multiple infected shoppers over the course of day, especially if poorly masked, can lead to a build up of airborne viral particles.
Indoor dining rarely occurs in a space with high ceilings. Moreover, individuals who are dining will not be wearing a mask and will likely be speaking in moderate if not loud voices. The louder the speaking or singing voice, the greater the number of particles that is thrown into the air. The longer one spends in such a closed space, the higher the risk of infection, and a higher exposure has been associated with the likelihood of a more serious infection.
Home gatherings of known individuals pose a similar situation. Homes are closed spaces that seldom have 20-foot-high ceilings and are not likely to have advanced air-conditioning viral filtration systems. There have been reports of multiple individuals being infected from a single indoor gathering. Moreover, asymptomatic individuals have been stated to be as able to infect others as symptomatic individuals. Just because your close friends had negative COVID-19 testing days or a week before does not, in any way, guarantee that joining them indoors without face masks is safe.
The take-home message is do not spend a prolonged time in any store or restaurant indoors that is a small, closed space. Do not create a similar situation unintentionally in your home with visits of trusted guests. If you need to place yourself in potentially high-risk situations, don the best protective mask available. At this point the KN95 masks can be obtained online. Having a few that you can rotate till they appear worn should provide adequate protection in those situations. Better still is to avoid high-risk situations.
Dining out outdoors should be reasonably safe. Takeout is safer and still supports your local restaurants. Gather with friends outdoors or in a screened-in patio. If needed, purchase a fan to deal with the summer heat. As has been said, this is not a sprint but a marathon as we wait for a vaccine. Unfortunately, one mistake is all it takes to become infected. The long-term results are still not known, not to mention the risk of dying. We, personally, have chosen not to dine out indoors to best minimize our risk. My recommendation is to choose your risk carefully.
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