So, Do Coronavirus NEED droplets to Infect?



I received the above text in an email newsletter talking about, what else? It was sent by the LA Times. The problem I have with this text is that it implies that coronaviruses need saliva to infect or remain infective. If that is the case, I have to disagree with the premise. If this were the case, you would stop the spread in days by having a dehumidifier going day and night--but wait, the air is dry in the winter and yet the spread is greatest at that time. Oh, they might tell you, covid spreads in Winter because people congregate indoors. Sounds plausible but why don't they then recommend dehumidification of indoor air?

I hope they don't because humidity decreases air density permitting the then heavier-than-air objects like viruses to sink to a lower level away from your face. That brings up an interesting observation, though. If I am right about the importance of air density in the spread of covid, it would contribute to an explanation for the high mortality in nursing homes where the residents are either sitting down or laying down. The temperature and humidity of the air determine its density and density determines how well the coronavirus remains afloat. But those variables can mean the virus can float high or float low. We may want the air to allow the virus to sink to the floor but what if all we do is make it dense enough to keep it floating where it could infect--not a standing person--but one lower to the ground like a typical nursing home resident.

Of course, as we've discussed, an elderly person has limited immunity and might even have limited ability to raise a fever, and these might be more important. Btw, ask you doctor what the highest body temperature is that can be tolerated safely; then, don't take antipyretics until you start to reach that danger point, inmho (I'm just a lowly generic biologist).


Media Notes:
Heather O'Rourke from ABC Eyewitness News Traffic gets the coronavirus apparel shoutout:


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

New Jersey's Department of Personnel

I'm 57 years old. That alone makes it very hard to penetrate the job market. However, NJDOP has a website where you can browse available jobs and submit an application along with $15. I did that and I waited and waited for the process to reach the stage where the actual hiring agency would give out interviews for the position. 2 months into that last stage (the DOP said that the hiring agency had 90 days in which to interview candidates), I got anxious and decided to call the municipality. They were supposed to pick from the top 3 candidates but they told me in no uncertain terms that they were going to give it to "the person who was already doing the job." When I questioned the ethics and legality of their decision, I was told that they really hadn't finalized things. This person was hoping that I would go away but, sadly, NJ is a state where ageism and/or crony-ism is condoned. Stay tuned, I'm waiting to see if I get an interview and if I don't get the job,...
Read more

Size and other Characteristics Matter in Trumpville

Why was Comey fired? He towered over Trump, that's why. It's a no-no. That other dude that knew his job well was tall, and I suspect the administration knew all the time of his spousal abuse history but it only became a problem for him when his height got on the president's nerve, OUT. This height obsession is a conflation of the President's own tallness and NY real estate where the bigger the edifice, the bigger your status. Look at whom he holds on to--Sessions, plenty of reason to fire him but he's all so diminutive that Mr. Trump feels he might be charged with child abuse if he were to act against him; besides, Sesssions takes it on the chin and will forever hold the distinct "honor" of being the first mainstream Republican to embrace the President's candidacy. This represents two pluses. The short and tough-looking General Mattis stays while the bigger and better looking Tillerson goes. Mustaches: if you have one, you're out but a whit...
Read more

I Doubt My Mother-in-Law will ever get Covid Even at 90+

You see, she has never been a germaphobe and that means her immune system is tip top. When you're not a germaphobe, you subject yourself to all manner of germs that immunize you against similar organisms. My German mother-in-law cleans her home meticulously but she has no compunction with sticking her hands into the sewer and unclogging it by hand. "But Midge, I have a snake for that. Ah, what's the big deal, she says to me." Never argue with your mother-in-law. When your mother tells you to wash your hands before supper, is she doing you a disfavor? I think so. In countries with many parasites or in our present pandemic, you want to wash them off your hands but, if not, you want lots and lots of germs to keep your immune system on guard. This brings me to the factoid that Women are less likely to get or die from Covid. Duh, obviously, who subject themselves to more germs as a parent? The one who plays in the parlor with the kids or the one who cleans their diaper...
Read more