04-16-2020, 03:25 AM
The aerosolized statement regarding swimming is not a slam dunk for me. I think aKidDoc is right....
The 6' mantra we here is a physical separation. I've not heard any temporal guidance. If I pass through the same physical location 2 seconds after someone else walks through it, what is my risk, (1) if they were breathing normally (no exertion beyond walking), (2) if they had coughed at that place, or (3) they were breathing heavily (running, biking, etc.).
If heavy breathing caused by exertion aerosolizes some of the virus in the throat (or lungs or nasal passages), then all virtually all sports with any exertion are going to be a problem. Swimming, track, weight lifting, racquet ball, probably diving (I wasn't a diver, so I'm not sure). Gyms with stationary bikes or treadmills are a hazard.
Even running/biking at a park or on city streets may be a problem on a calm day. The person exercising may leave a floating cloud of virus particles that could hang around for some time, ready to infect a pedestrian out for a stroll.
If a next door neighbor has a pool, or does heavy exercise in his back yard, might he produce enough aerosolized virus to infect someone in his next door neighbor's yard?
If heavy breathing only produces droplets, then it isn't as clear to me. Doing swimming workouts where multiple people share a lane would be a problem (as you have rest periods where the swimmers are close together). During swimming, exhalation is typically under water, and rises to the surface in bubbles. It is completely uncertain to me whether the collapse of those bubbles at the surface can cause aerosolization. Perhaps it does.
The 6' mantra we here is a physical separation. I've not heard any temporal guidance. If I pass through the same physical location 2 seconds after someone else walks through it, what is my risk, (1) if they were breathing normally (no exertion beyond walking), (2) if they had coughed at that place, or (3) they were breathing heavily (running, biking, etc.).
If heavy breathing caused by exertion aerosolizes some of the virus in the throat (or lungs or nasal passages), then all virtually all sports with any exertion are going to be a problem. Swimming, track, weight lifting, racquet ball, probably diving (I wasn't a diver, so I'm not sure). Gyms with stationary bikes or treadmills are a hazard.
Even running/biking at a park or on city streets may be a problem on a calm day. The person exercising may leave a floating cloud of virus particles that could hang around for some time, ready to infect a pedestrian out for a stroll.
If a next door neighbor has a pool, or does heavy exercise in his back yard, might he produce enough aerosolized virus to infect someone in his next door neighbor's yard?
If heavy breathing only produces droplets, then it isn't as clear to me. Doing swimming workouts where multiple people share a lane would be a problem (as you have rest periods where the swimmers are close together). During swimming, exhalation is typically under water, and rises to the surface in bubbles. It is completely uncertain to me whether the collapse of those bubbles at the surface can cause aerosolization. Perhaps it does.