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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe CDC Just Changed This One Major Coronavirus Guideline
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/the-cdc-just-changed-this-one-major-coronavirus-guideline/ar-BB17fNLjWith coronavirus still spreading at alarming rates across the United States, reducing contact with potentially infected individuals is a top priority for Americans everywhere. But what you may have been considering a safe encounter could actually be putting you at risk. As scientists and medical experts have learned more about the virus, what constitutes as potential exposure has also evolved. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that the initially established guidelines for what constitutes a "close contact" may no longer be enough to protect you against COVID-19.
The CDC's early definition of a close contactinitially defined as being closer than 6 feet to a person with COVID for 15 minutes or moreis simply not a stringent enough guideline. In a call with members of the media on July 27, John Brooks, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the CDC's COVID-19 response, announced that those metrics for the distance and duration of an interaction should be viewed as merely "a rule of thumb."
Brooks noted that, based on experts' most recent understanding of how the virus is spread, shorter interactions could pose just as much risk as lengthier ones. Brooks said that, if, for instance, someone sneezes in close proximity to you during a brief interaction, "That may last only a few seconds, but that's a high-risk circumstance." And in that case, six feet of distance may not be enough either. According to a paper published in Physics of Fluids on June 30, droplets from sneezes or coughs can transfer to objects and individuals 13 feet away, even without the benefit of wind.
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I_UndergroundPanther
(12,480 posts)In my mask and face shield..than... Corona could kill me. Got risk factors.
Been staying in my apartment since
late February early March.
Go out only for meds and groceries and stuff like dish detergent and trash bags..
Or go to walk around aimlessly.
Talk to my neighbor once in awhile when she taps my door because I got a delivery. We both have masks on we stand like 15 feet away from each other. Shoot the shit a few minutes. We both got many of the same risk factors except her diabeties got cured by surgery.
I wonder why surgery isn't recommended diabeties treatment before metformin kills your kidneys?
..My life has gotten seriously boring but I am used to it now.
I'm alive and thankful to not be sick.
SunSeeker
(51,745 posts)There are so many studies that show respiratory droplets spread MUCH further.
crickets
(25,987 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,496 posts)With perfect vertical ventilation above each child?
And, HEPA-filtered isolation booths for our teachers?
KY....... ..........
kurtcagle
(1,604 posts)Typical classroom is about 16'x20'. At 13' apart, that gives you 5 students per class (or fours students and a teacher). Yeah, that'll go over real well, given that most schools typically have dealt with 30-32 kids per classroom and there's still never enough room. Yes, school-age population is declining (though after Covid, that might change) but it's not declining THAT fast.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,496 posts)My daughter, a 5th grade teacher, will be instructing from her special basement office this year and my granddaughter will be learning at home.
I shudder ever day just thinking how bad Kentucky would be right now if we had not elected Gov. Andy Beshear and instead had that hard right-winger Matt Bevin in office. And, we won by only 0.4% of the vote.
No doubt our COVID cases and deaths would be far worse and Bevin would be forcing schools to reopen.
You're exactly right - it's impossible to make existing classrooms safe.
KY
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)KY_EnviroGuy
(14,496 posts)from a county adjacent to Davidson County and I can't believe the infection curves I'm seeing. Still have extended family there including cousins and my now-deceased wife's six remaining siblings and they're all 70-ish.
My two kids drove down to Lebanon a couple of weeks ago to a SIL's funeral and I was on pins and needles for over a week worried about their health. Fortunately, they and the granddaughter are all OK. They said there was almost no one wearing a mask or social distancing.
Scary times.
KY..........
Oppaloopa
(867 posts)Rhiannon12866
(206,252 posts)I worked with a classroom of mostly 4-year-olds and they needed help with everything, from lunches to potty to shoes and boots.