The airborne lifetime of small speech droplets and their potential importance in SARS-CoV-2 transmission
National Institutes of Health · National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · +1 more institution
Abstract
Speech droplets generated by asymptomatic carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are increasingly considered to be a likely mode of disease transmission. Highly sensitive laser light scattering observations have revealed that loud speech can emit thousands of oral fluid droplets per second. In a closed, stagnant air environment, they disappear from the window of view with time constants in the range of 8 to 14 min, which corresponds to droplet nuclei of ca. 4 μm diameter, or 12- to 21-μm droplets prior to dehydration. These observations confirm that there is a substantial probability that normal speaking causes airborne virus transmission in confined environments.
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 129.43
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 20
Authors
4- VSValentyn StadnytskyiCorresponding
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- CEChristina E. Bax
University of Pennsylvania
- ABAd Bax
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- PAPhilip Anfinrud
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Topics & keywords
- Transmission (telecommunications)
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Asymptomatic
- Range (aeronautics)
- Coronavirus
- Scattering
- 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak
- Good health and well-being