Given various combinations of an individual patient’s physiology and environmental conditions, such as humidity and temperature, the gas cloud and its payload of pathogen-bearing droplets of all sizes can travel 23 to 27 feet (7-8 m). [...] Eventually the cloud and its droplet payload lose momentum and coherence, and the remaining droplets within the cloud evaporate, producing residues or droplet nuclei that may stay suspended in the air for hours, following airflow patterns imposed by ventilation or climate-control systems.
So indoors basically no distance is safe, outdoors maybe 10 meters is safe if people aren’t up/down wind of each other.
I think the main followup question I have is “what’s the rate of falloff for outdoors?” (given that my goal here is not “100% safe”, its “the risk is comparable (i.e. within a factor of 2ish) to the usual background default level of micromorts”, for the range of stuff humans typically do.)
Another reference (being reported in the news): Turbulent Gas Clouds and Respiratory Pathogen Emissions—Potential Implications for Reducing Transmission of COVID-19
So indoors basically no distance is safe, outdoors maybe 10 meters is safe if people aren’t up/down wind of each other.
Thanks, this is great.
I think the main followup question I have is “what’s the rate of falloff for outdoors?” (given that my goal here is not “100% safe”, its “the risk is comparable (i.e. within a factor of 2ish) to the usual background default level of micromorts”, for the range of stuff humans typically do.)
Found this link, which I think corroborates the paper Wei Dai linked. Haven’t review it yet.
https://globalnews.ca/news/6815551/cough-chamber-physical-distancing-coronavirus-western-university/?fbclid=IwAR2mdghjc-3x6S2PyAIrjdyx6J0mUTDxXdT4FJCV5jPMkeMtgoZ8Gzq8gXo